What is life if not learning to take the threats of enemies in stride?
Perhaps you have managed a life perfectly protected from the criticism and deplorable trolling of others, but for the rest of us, we might need some hot tips on a thoughtful, biblical approach to dealing with haters. Take these inspirational words from the man after God’s own heart, King David (Ps. 109:9-12):
Let his children become orphans;
let his wife turn into a widow.
Let his children wander aimlessly, begging,
driven out of their ruined homes.
Let a creditor seize everything he owns;
let strangers plunder his wealth.
Let no one extend faithful love to him;
let no one have mercy on his orphans.
If you’re not ready to pray for God to orphan and widow the families or your enemies, perhaps Martin Luther has some ideas that could help! In 1521, a gathering of political and religious authorities convened to determine the fate of this troublesome monk. Luther had been challenging certain teachings and practices of the church, and the people with power were none to pleased. This meeting was called the Diet of Worms…which you’d think was some kind of sick burn for the guy they were looking to excommunicate. Tonight you sleep with the fishes… You should go on a…DIET OF WORMS! You should be on a worm diet. No, this isn’t as sick a burn as I thought.
It was called at “Diet” because that was the term used for the formal assembly of the Holy Roman Emperor, and it was held in a place called Worms, Germany. Luther was given the opportunity to recant his beliefs, an opportunity he graciously refused. Luther’s political protector, Frederick the Wise, faked a highway ambush of Luther and hid him away at Wartburg castle. Meanwhile, Emperor Charles V issued the Edict of Worms, forbidding any to protect Luther or propagate his ideas, deeming Luther a “notorious heretic.”
In hiding, Luther worked on translating the New Testament into the German language. He grew a giant beard to disguise his appearance, and donned the pseudonym Junker Jörg, until the emperor eventually stopped caring so much and Luther was again free to move about Germany. He kept in touch with colleagues at Wittenberg University, who were beginning to implement some of his ideas, including priests getting married. While under house arrest, Luther struggled with depression and mood swings, attributing these emotional lows to attacks from the devil. Legend has it Luther threw an inkwell at the wall one night to drive away the devil. Ever the fan of potty humor, Luther famously said, “I resist the devil, and often it is with a fart that I chase him away.”
Sometimes the nature of my comics draws the attention of haters. I’ve had to block comments from just about every type…angry atheists, alt-right Neo-nazis, death-threat spewing religious fanatics, and perhaps surprisingly, people I considered friends. I want my work to promote open dialogue inspired by a sense of humor, but after 10 years, I’ve learned that some comments only promote harm, and some conversations cannot be held in the back-and-forth of a social media platform. Though today’ comic is meant to be purely silly, the truth is, sometimes I DO need to hide away under the protection and encouragement of friends. Sometimes I need others who really know me, who walk with me and live with me, to remind me that the harmful comments of others do not define me, nor are they a measurement of my worth.
If you find yourself frustrated with the opinions of others ringing loudly in your ears, receive this encouragement: ensure a haven for yourself, even if it is only a moment for a deep-breath prayer, and remind yourself that you are indeed a child of God. Every opinion is not an opportunity to battle. Every disagreement is not an opportunity to prove your worth. Sometimes you need to shift your work and focus until you’re well enough to get back out there. And sometimes, you just need some potty humor to lighten the mood.