It seems to me that as I study the ways of the Enemy, his favorite tools are mockery and insults. In the book of Nehemiah the enemies of that great leader used these methods almost exclusively, though they threatened greater measures. And all through the Gospels we see this same pattern used by the apostate religious leaders against both John the Baptist and then Christ. And when mockery and insults failed they turned to murder.
Something that troubles me is how effective mockery and insults can be. It is how easily we can be intimidated into either silence or compromise by these hateful and subtle methods that is really a surprise. Personally I find it so tempting to just cut the corners of the message so as not to arouse objections and conflict. We speak of those types of people that are “people-pleasers”, but I fear the number of us is far greater than we imagine. I am not suggesting that we ought to project an arrogant or careless spirit, but the truth will most often have some very cutting edges to it. Truth in our society will be confronting and edgy. How can it help but be in a society of sexual promiscuity, foolish and sinful women’s rights, drug and alcohol addiction and many other general cases of just plain old sin.
I guess I’ll finish with this thought, Jesus didn’t say it would be easy, but He did say it would be worth it! “For we ought to please God and not man”.
