It’s not a pleasant experience to be accused of something one never did. Honest people value their integrity and strive to do their best. They mean no harm and seek no harm.
But sometimes, actions and intent are misunderstood by others. People with partial knowledge may jump to conclusions about the facts and make accusations that are incorrect.
If victimized by such ignorance, “What to do?”
One rule I’ve applied over the years when faced with false accusation, is to respond with truth and love, rather than react with anger and resentment.
Bitter words can cause misunderstanding to grow and heat up. One becomes part of the problem, rather than a solution to the problem.
The wiser response is to stay calm; listen for the guidance of divine Mind; and respond with words that dissolve the ignorance and restore understanding. Let truth and love have the final say!
As the Bible reminds us, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1, RSV).
Let a “soft answer” come out of your mouth. Let Truth dissolve any ignorance and Love restore peace.
This is such an important thing to understand and learn how to deal with –
thank you Evan for this topic and your insights to stir our thoughts.
I have been falsely accused ot things many times, as probably we
all have. I have learned through my study of Christian Science
that it is not WHO is right, but WHAT is right. It is impersonalising the
problem, and knowing we don’t need to react to it, but respond with love,
as Evan says. Everything is right anyway according to what God is
expressing in us, and He will bring it to light when we turn to Him
and deal with it in this way.
What wonderful teachings we have through Christ and Christian Science,
and how fortunate we are to have Evan to prompt us into thinking about, and sharing
our inspiration here together.
Thanks for sharing that phrase….not WHO is right but WHAT is right …. It helps to with ourselves, our community, and our world! Also love the words to respond instead of react . Pausing and setting aside quiet prayerful time has helped me redirect my thinking toward healing of the situation.
Excellent. Thanks, Evan. And thanks to Maggie for her comment, “It’s not WHO is right, but WHAT is right” is spot-on. Very helpful.
Maggie,thank you for, “It is not WHO is right, but WHAT is right.” The impersonalizing/depersonalizing of error is such a key concept that I am learning in CS and trying to apply.
I thought of a few instances where I was very misunderstood or my actions were misinterpreted and I was accused in ways that seemed unjust. I remember how painful this was, and maybe I am still holding on to some of that pain. Then I thought of what Mrs. Eddy said in Retrospection and Introspection (p. 22), “The human history needs to be revised, and the material record expunged.” I love that statement! God was present and loving me and all right then during those experiences – and now. So maybe there is nothing to heal, just comfort and love to embrace in thought.
“Revise and Expunge” by Carl J. Welz
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/chichmjlm0
“Let our finite judgment never settle on who is troubling us and never defend ourselves against a person. Rather ask what is troubling, and then meet the what.” Mary Baker Eddy
p. 245 1889 letter to Caroline Frame, Christian Healer, Fettweiss & Warneck.
Thank you Evan for your inspiration as always it is spot on. And Maggie’s response is Price-Less. I always enjoy reading Rose’s references to articles. What a joy this site is and to have the ability to participate.
Thank you Evan. Thank you Lindalou and thanks to all. I love this thought from Retrospection and Introspection (p. 22) as well. “The human history needs to be revised and the material record expunged.”
This message pricked my conscience one day and I stopped and imagined, how this could be possible. It seamed impossible, considering that I came into Christian Science as an adult. Many years later I read something bin Science and Health which gave me a clear answer. I read that “The good you do and embody is the only power obtainable’ I thought to myself , if good is the only power obtainable’, then all the evil I had encountered and the hurts I had caused others was null and void. No record of it must be found either in memory or in a note book. I started work immediately to see myself perfect and all others whom I had left behind, I felt sorry for them and Divine Love caused me to start loving them once more. This was a great healing which came with much love from friends and relations.
When someone misunderstands our actions, a practitioner told me that often it is helpful, if possible, to EXPLAIN our actions, and referred to this in Science & Health: “When error confronts you, withhold not the rebuke or explanation which destroys error.” Her emphasis was on explanation. It can be hard to be accused of something bad when our motives were good. While it’s tempting to cut people out of our lives who think wrongly about us, I’ve learned there is a higher way, as Evan says, to respond with words that dissolve the ignorance and restore understanding. I finally learned that lesson this month after years of perhaps feeling hurt, avoiding people who accused me of something I didn’t do. I learned I can instead affirm our innocent, spiritual identities, and deny personal sense or sense of personality which feels deeply wronged. There is no accuser in Mind. Jesus showed us how to act towards those who mistreated him. Mrs. Eddy wrote, “I say it with joy – no person can commit an offense against me that I cannot forgive.”
This topic hits home in several ways as it Seems the world is so divided
politically, with (spiritually) held values during the pandemic, etc. and I
have lost several friends because of their ideas being so different from
mine. I think it is important to denounce “animal magnetism”, which
seems to be a factor in this, also.
It is necessary to see everyone as a child of God, when misunderstandings,
usually out of lack of knowledge of what is true occur and not carry
resentment, because interpretations as to what we believe to be right
seems to differ so much. It is an ongoing challenge, but as Evan has
so rightly written, let “Love restore peace”.
From Rose’s helpful article, “We can examine in the light of Love’s ever-
presence what seems to have happened and gain from what we have
found the lessons we need.” … A great thought to hold to. Thank you,
Rose and for all of the other shared enlightenments of Truth on this topic.
Wonderful post, Evan. We all are faced with this type of situation from time tot time and your advice save so much to the accused.
“When facing injustice, how can we expect a healing resolution?” by Sue A. Spotts:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/c6vfx8lgxu
Rose, thank you for posting Carl Welz’s excellent article. It brings light and restorative clarity to what has claimed to be a situation that has portrayed me as a victim for over 8 years. I can see that I can be free of ruminating over what seems to be injustice, and that my experience is not shaped by material events or the attitudes or actions of another. The human history can be revised and erased in my own thought. Carl’s instantaneous healing illustrates the verity that any inharmonious or unjust event is an illusion in mortal thought, and can be readily expunged with Truth. It is impossible for God’s reflections to adversely affect one another. There has never been any conflict of interest or misunderstanding in spiritual reality. There has only been harmony, love, divine government, divine order, and infinite supply of needs being met. As Lindajane points out, I can trustingly let go of a false sense of personality that feels deeply wronged, and joyfully embrace my spiritual identity. There is no victim or villain in Mind, and no accuser there!
Heartfelt gratitude to you Evan for your precious SV lessons,- and to all of you deep spiritual thinkers and talented writers. This is a most cherished fellowship.
Evan, this is so pertinent given the community atmosphere where I live. I pray daily for guidance, as it is so easy to give into responding with anger and disgust, both of which are not helpful. Thank you for this beautiful reminder.
Thanks Evan, I also love your wonderful post which is very helpful and healing!♡
A great lesson to be held foremost in our minds. Thanks Evan.