So your point then is the same as Johnathan Edwards in that since the Christian lives in the world he should expect to be slandered and if he keeps his eyes focused on God when it happens, he will not be stressed over it.
Several years ago, Richard Baxter had a comment, citeing J. C. Ryle in discussing the parable of the talents where he said,....
‘To do no harm is the praise of a stone, not of a man.’
Thank you for your comments and I hope that you do that for everyone.
This following portion of scripture LITERALLY changed my entire life:
I Peter chapter 2
[
18] Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
[
19] For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
[
20] For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
[
21] For even hereunto were ye called: because
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
[
22] Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
[
23]
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Christ is supposed to be our example, and nobody has been slandered anywhere near as much as he has been and still is.
How did he respond?
By "committing himself to him that judges righteously" or by simply looking up and getting his Father's assessment.
In other words, while men were accusing of him of having a demon, being in league with Beelzebub, being a deceiver, etc., etc., etc., his Father's view of the same was that Jesus was his beloved Son in whom he was well-pleased.
I literally had to train myself, for years, to view things from a VERTiCAL PERSPECTIVE (what God thinks) as opposed to a HORiZONTAL PERSPECTIVE (what man thinks).
If a man, woman, or child accuses me of something, I immediately turn my focus UPWARD to see if their perspective matches God's perspective.
If it does, then I repent.
If it doesn't, then I just move on.
THIS is how we need to live.
Again, I'll contend for the gospel, but getting into contention with others on a more personal level is something altogether different.