Disclaimer: The piece below was written by my beloved mother Susee Mable in July 2008. I found it in her Blogger "draft folder" awaiting to be published onto this blog. It was intended to be an addendum to "What God Wants from You (Part I)". Illness sadly prevented her from regularly posting and writing. I want to share this post with you (especially since her passing this past April), as it describes a pivotal epoch in her life and is a testament to her trials, character and to the goodness that guided her.—Suhasini
Rumour and Unfounded Criticism (written, July 2008):
The answer is simple yet, we often overlook the basic principles of all the learning we've done in our lives. God wants us to be loving, compassionate and forgiving. Simple rules to live by, as they cover all of God's grand plan for a successful life. We are bombarded by different messages everyday, some we adhere to, some we don't.
Some years ago, my son became gravely ill with Tuberculosis. He was given a less than 10% chance of surviving his illness, and yet through God's grace, and one full year of tremendous anxiety, he survived and my family and I were whole again.
It was during this time that we came under unexpected controversy. A rumour was spread by those who I assumed were near and dear to me. People with whom I was able to put my confidence in, thinking they would not betray it.
Unfortunately, they did.
False stories about my "homosexual son dying of AIDS" were spread throughout my community by a party of those I once considered to be the closest of loved ones. My son is not gay but even if he was I wouldn't have loved him any less. Only closed-minds filled with hate could perceive a way of being as an insult. My God is a god of love. But I knew what their intent was. Gossip spread far and wide, and with it came unfounded criticism and abuse, all of this while my son lay dying on life support. It broke my heart. I thought I would lose him, and then all this slander and bullying.
This was a test. I thought about what I could say or do to stop the rumour, but I had to stop and ask myself: What does God want from me? I could retaliate with anger, but that is not in my nature, my son came first. The decision was easy. I let God answer them for me, I shut out all their negative energy, and I tended to my son.
He responded to medical treatment, against all odds and God gave me back my son. What more could I ask? God wanted me to trust Him. That's what God wants from us. Faith is a difficult task, but God provides grace, God provides answers, if we just let him do his work. Patience, is God's method, and love is his answer.
Those voices of rumour and hatred spread to everyone I ever met. Many believed, and a few chose not to. In an instant God revealed to me who my friends were, telling me that I was not alone, giving me courage and strength, where there was none before. I feel pity for those who believed the rumours, for they are still in the dark. Closed minds are sad minds unable to think and feel, unable to see the truth. Hatred is not what God wants from us. His plan is one of simplicity—all the trust and love encapsulated in the smile of a newborn is a manifestation of His method. Love, compassion and forgiveness is His way.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you
and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
—Matthew 5:11