Frankly, I was at a loss on what to write in this week’s column. My topics for the past issues were about people who touched my life and about some negative experiences I had in connection with my past position as President of the Council of Philippine American Organizations of San Diego County, Inc. I did not realize that what I wrote in one of my columns would incriminate me and would be misinterpreted and twisted by someone who publishes a tabloid. From that column an interesting but false story was born: “Police Grills Cudal”. A good reporter should have asked the police investigator if indeed he “grilled” Cudal, rather than twist what I wrote and make a misleading story out of it.
In fairness to the National City Police Department, I was treated with courtesy and respect by the police investigator who requested information about the financial management policies of COPAO. I referred them to the COPAO By-Laws which clearly states who are responsible for the handling as well as auditing of funds. Is it the President of an organization who holds the checks and handles disbursements of funds? Not in COPAO.
I asked a well-known university professor how I could possibly respond to all these innuendoes being hurled against me by this one person who has been verbally stalking me for the past eight years and his reply was, “Consider the source.” “Do not bother about what is written about you. Consider the source!” Well, everybody knows the source, so why really bother.
Nonetheless, I was bothered. I prayed and asked the Lord, what should I share with my readers? When I opened my Holy Bible the following morning for my devotional reading, these verses from 1Peter 3:4-16 leaped from its pages.
“Finally, all of you live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic; love as brothers; be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult; but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from deceitful speech; He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
“Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
God is so good. His words taught me what to do, gave me comfort and strength as well as wisdom and courage to face my detractors.
If you meet challenges in your life, seek the Lord with all your heart. Read the Holy Bible and you will find words that refresh your soul.