As a journalist, I was appalled when I read a totally false account of an event hosted by Christ Central in an article in The State newspaper.  The so called reporter filled the article with innuendo, implying certain things about what a town thought about a new Christ Central facility and people being served there, and even stating some outright falsehoods about activities and desires of Christ Central for the facility.  While I was steaming mad, my mind filling with accusations and plans on writing scathing letters to the editor of the paper and the reporter, the words of Solomon in the book of Proverbs kept coming to me.  Not only advice about not becoming angry, but the folly of dealing with fools.  

Every time I thought of that journalist, wondering if he had his own agenda, if he felt he could only engage readers' interest by sinister implications, or whether he simply was lazy and had failed to check his sources, I made myself repeat Proverbs 16:22, "Understanding is a wellspring of life to those who have it, but to give instruction to fools is folly."  I realized that no amount of letters or reprimands would impact such a person if indeed he was false and / or foolish, and that the truth would set me free.  As always, simply telling the true story of Christ Central activities is lighting the lamp that dispels the darkness of lies, half truths, and rumors.  So I wrote an article about the event, submitting it to local newspapers.  (Strangely, The State newspaper never prints my articles about Christ Central.  Hmmmmm.....)

 I also kept coming back to the attitude of Pastor Jimmy about the whole thing.  He simply laughed as he read the article out loud, especially at a certain outlandish claim about an issue he had never even heard of.  It was a complete lie. Instead of being righteously angry, which he had every right to be, he simply spent the conversation trying to dispel MY anger and hurt feelings, reassuring me that they all had some mighty big jobs to do for God and for the community - they simply do not have time to stop and address or be upset at every lie or event or person seeking to thwart their journey.  It made a big impact on me.  Just continue working for the Lord, do not stop, do not pay attention to anything dark or false and keep pressing on towards the mark of the high calling of Jesus.  

 I tell you what - between the attitude of Pastor Jones, modeled after the behavior and life of Jesus, and the absurdity of the false article, I learned a great deal about how to behave, myself, both as a journalist always seeking to tell the truth, and a Christian, who must forget wrath and press on.  As far as I'm concerned, I had two teachers that day.  One was a disciple, and the other a fool!  Who would guess you could learn as much from a fool as a wise man!