While slander may blacken the reputation, it cannot stain the character. That is in God's keeping. So long as we do not consent to sin, there is no power, whether human or satanic, that can bring a stain upon the soul. A man whose heart is stayed upon God is just the same in the hour of his most afflicting trials and most discouraging surroundings as when he was in prosperity, when the light and favor of God seemed to be upon him. His words, his motives, his actions, may be misrepresented and falsified, but he does not mind it, because he has greater interests at stake. Like Moses, he endures as "seeing Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27); looking "not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen" (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Medens bagtalelse vel kan sværte vort rygte, kan den ikke besudle karakteren. Den er i Guds varetægt. Så længe vi ikke samtykker i at begå synd, formår ingen magt, hverken menneskers eller djævelens, at sætte en plet på sjælen. Den, der i sit hjerte holder fast ved Gud, er uforandret den samme i trængslens mest prøvende stund og i de mest nedslående omgivelser, som han var, da det gik ham vel, da Guds lys og velbehag syntes at hvile over ham. Hans ord, hans bevæggrunde og handlinger kan forvrænges og stilles i et forkert lys; men han agter ikke derpå, fordi han har højere interesser stående på spil. Ligesom Moses holder han ud, »som om han så den usynlige," idet han »ikke har blikket rettet mod de synlige ting, men mod de usynlige". (Hebr. 11,27; 2 Kor. 4,18).