Being Misrepresented is Hard!

I’ll be honest with you, the first time I got a negative review on social media, it just about crushed me. I honestly wasn’t prepared for the impact of being misrepresented and maligned in a public realm. I had underestimated one of the most challenging parts of placing yourself in a position where the public has open access to vent their frustrations, perceptions, and anger without consequence. Some people will and do lie, blame, and attempt to harm those with whom they disagree, or, more accurately, those who fail to affirm their worldview, mindset, and perceptions.

From a purely monetary position, running a small business or a small private practice is a multidimensional proposition. In addition to preparing for and working with my clients, I take care of the marketing, budget, websites, insurance, and all of the other working parts of small business ownership. It can feel like a lot. It also exposes you to frequent opportunities for difficult and often conflicted interactions.

Christ’s Representatives

As a Christian, this process can be even more challenging because I am always aware that everything I do, every business interaction I conduct, and every client session is a representation of the spiritual responsibility I have as a representative of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

Running a Christ-centered business also means that my very existence and efforts to establish the Kingdom of God on earth really make the enemy mad. The enemy of my soul does not like the fact that I have dedicated my life to helping people heal their marriages, recover from childhood trauma, overcome addiction, raise godly children, and build Christ-like homes. Choosing to follow Christ, emulate Christ, and act as his personal representative on earth and in every area of my life, including my business, is akin to placing a giant target on my back.

Persecution is An Expected Outcome

As Christ stated in the Sermon on the Mount, suffering and spiritual backlash shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone openly serving Christ and building His kingdom. In fact, Christ told us to be happy when we are faced with persecution.

Persecution is the expected outcome for anyone who chooses to serve in this capacity. Christ in me is, as scripture declares, “the hope of Glory,” but Christ in me also means that His Spirit, living in me and working through me, is going to rub up against anything that is not of Christ. (Colossians 1:27). In other words, as a follower of Christ and the recipient of the Holy Spirit, the presence of God in me is an automatic affront to anything and anyone at odds with God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”

~Matthew 5:10-11 (NIV)

It follows that if we are striving to serve God and be His hands and feet here on earth, there will be pushback from the kingdom of darkness. It should be expected, not surprising.

But It Can Still Be Hard

It never feels good to be criticized, lied about, or misrepresented. And if you are like me, you can still have tender spots that are in the process of being worked out and through. Growing into the image of Christ takes time. Because we are still in process, these tender spots can provide opportunities for the enemy to exacerbate these sometimes-painful aspects of ourselves. He will also, if he can, utilize others to inflict pain and distress (often without them even being aware they are being used in such a manner).

A Position of Acceptance

Living for Christ assumes a position of acceptance. The knowledge that our work for the kingdom will come at a cost, and part of the cost will be managing the painful and sometimes harmful things the enemy will attempt to bring into our lives. And why would we expect anything else? As the Son of God, Christ experienced all kinds of malicious and retaliatory situations. If they hated him and the truth he brought, they will also hate us. It’s part of the cost of aligning ourselves with God.

But that doesn’t mean we pull back and desert the truth. Instead, we strive to speak truth lovingly and compassionately.

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is Christ.”

~ Ephesians 4:15,16 (NIV).

They Hated the Truth in HIM and They Will Hate the Truth in You.

The dichotomy of Truth and Love is just as powerful today as it was when Christ confronted the religious elite and nay-sayers of His day. Just be aware that even Christ, who perfectly executed the balance of truth and love in all of his teachings and interactions, suffered at the hands of those who railed against everything he represented. They hated the Truth in Him, and they will hate the Truth in you.

Learning to deal with and accept the sometimes unkind and willfully hurtful perceptions of others is part and parcel with the Christian walk. My part of the equation is to diligently work to accurately represent Christ in every business transaction, every session, and every encounter. I am committed to helping others resolve conflict, heal hurts, find agreement, parent well, and save their marriage, home, and family. To the end, I continue to seek after Christ and practice balancing truth and love.

Opportunities for Growth and Personal Reflection

I’ve learned to see negative comments and ill-willed criticisms as opportunities for growth and personal reflection. A change to inquire of God about the state of my walk of faith and efforts to manifest the goodness of God in every interaction. If I choose to see these attacks as proof of the enemy’s displeasure with my work, then I figure I must be doing some good. I worry less about what people think of me and say about me and focus more on progressively leaning into my relationship with God. With Christ, I can face whatever life throws at me, confident in His ability to work in me and through me for His glory.

“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me: I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.]

~Philippians 4:13 (AMP).

Love and Grace,

Teresa

This article was originally published under Chrysalis Connections and was reviewed and updated in 2026 as part of the Natural Relational Health Institute rebranding and content expansion. 

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