May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” turn back because of their shame. – Psalm 70:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 8, 2019): Psalm 70

Gay activist Marty Rubin argued that “You can spit on a rose, but it's still a rose.” Your contempt for something doesn’t define what that something might be. I have been on the receiving end of that kind of contempt. And I hate to admit it, but there are times when I wish the truth of the story could be revealed, and that the tables could be turned on those who have poured out their contempt on me. But that seldom seems to happen in life. In my experience, most often the fake news adopted our enemies persists, at least in the way that they see us. And we are left with the longing that somehow Jesus would be able to stand before them armed with the “real’ truth, or at least the truth as we see it.

This desire for the revelation of the truth is actually the prayer of the Psalmist here. That somehow something would happen that would convince those who are pouring contempt on him that they are wrong. The Psalmist’s sincere wish is that the disdain that his opponents so readily dispense upon him would somehow bounce off of him and stick to the authors. It is a hope with which many of us can identify.

We also know the reality. It is rare when those who treat us with contempt realize their error. But there is another truth. The contempt that our enemies might try to heap upon us does not in any way define who we are. Marty Rubin is right. “You can spit on a rose, but it's still a rose.” The names that others might call you in no way changes who you are in the eyes of God. You are his creation, and you are beautiful. Nothing that your opponents can try to label you with can change that single fact.

But maybe the real challenge might be in seeing ourselves with the eyes of God, instead of with the eyes of those who might not like us. And also with our ability to respond to those attacks with love. Because those who pour their contempt on us are probably suffering too, they are just passing on the disdain that they feel to others down the road. And we just happen to be “down the road.” We need to remember we are roses, no matter who it is that spits on us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 86