What do I do when I am falsely accused? We live in a fallen world filled with sin that spills into our daily life. We can get sucked into the rumor mill at school or work without realizing the harm we are causing. A friend may ask, “Did you hear about so and so?” Gossip is one thing, but with social media, it is easy to put people down or falsely accuse them of something they are not.
Young people, especially today, are looking for positive comments on social media, but in reality, many people are critical, leading to feeling rejected and isolated. The question is, what should I do? Let’s look at the story of Joseph and God’s word to receive some answers.
Joseph was Falsely Accused
Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of rape. What if you had been Joseph? What would you do? How can I have hope amid being falsely accused?
Genesis 39:10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. [1]
Potiphar’s Wife Accused Joseph of what She was Doing
She realized she had Joseph’s robe, then screamed and lied to her servants that Joseph was trying to rape her. Genesis 39:16 She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. 17 Then, she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. 18 “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!” 19 Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained.[2]
How Can I Have Hope When Falsely Accused?
Others may not believe us, so the Lord calls us to look to Him, not our circumstances. This is the opposite of what our sinful nature or the world would like to do. Our God wants justice, and as children of God, we can turn over revenge to our heavenly Father.
Romans 12:19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.[3] By turning the situation over to God, we can seek strength to forgive those who have accused us. We can also ask the Lord to remove any bitterness that may have given the enemy a foothold in our life.
In addition, the good news is the Lord is on our side and knows what it is like to be falsely accused. Hebrews 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. [4] If you have been falsely accused, go boldly to the throne of our gracious God. To hear more about when I am falsely accused, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/potiphars-house
[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.