Which part of God's character?
I am not seeking to put words in anybody else's mouth, but here is my response to that question. For many years, I have been trying to get believers to seriously consider the following.
1Pe 2:18
Servants,
be subject to
your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
1Pe 2:19
For this
is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
1Pe 2:20
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.
1Pe 2:21
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1Pe 2:22
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
1Pe 2:23
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed
himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Whether any of us like it or not, there are going to be many times in our Christian lives when we are going to suffer wrongfully. In fact, as Christians, and as we just read, this is part of our callings (vs. 21). How we respond in such situations has a lot to do with our characters. What we are supposed to do is endure grief, and take wrongful buffeting patiently, with a conscience towards God, and while looking to Jesus as our example. In other words, our focus needs to be on what God thinks during such times of suffering, and not on what we or any other human being might think. If we are honest with ourselves, then we are prone to defending ourselves. Why? Because, whether consciously or unconsciously, we often give men/women a godlike status in our lives or we elevate their opinions of us way beyond what we ought to.
When Jesus was reviled, he reviled not again.
When Jesus suffered, he threatened not.
Why not?
What was his secret which helped him to show such character in the midst of persecutions, betrayals, and abandonments beyond anything that most of us will ever endure ourselves?
He simply looked up to God, the righteous Judge, and got his assessment of the situation.
God's assessment of Jesus was always "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased," so what men or women said about him to the contrary did not shake or move him in the least. This is how we need to train ourselves to think and behave as well. When people slander, persecute, betray, mock, or abandon us, we need to look up to God, the righteous Judge, and get his assessment of the situation. If his assessment is that we are righteous in his eyes, then who cares what men and women think to the contrary? If, however, his assessment is that we are unrighteous in any given situation, then we need to humbly repent before him and the offended party.
Do you have any idea how many times I have been slandered and betrayed in my life? If I let it get to me, then I would have blown my brains out a long time ago. Instead, I just pray for my betrayers and false accusers while continuing on with my walk with the Lord.
Anyhow, to me, the types of things that I just described have a lot to do with our character.
P.S.
So as not to possibly sound "holier than thou," there were many years, before I figured this out for myself, that I was basically rendered useless because I was allowing the faulty opinions or judgments of others to render me totally ineffective. Those years are gone because I learned how to put in practice what I just spoke about.