There’s a commandment about “bearing false witness,” but despite the instruction, “false witness” happens a lot. I’ve probably already shared my mom’s advice concerning this issue, but I’ll share it again: If someone speaks ill of you, live in such a way that no one will believe it. I doubt any of us make it all the way through life without somebody saying something about us that isn’t true. Sometimes it’s an innocent misunderstanding, but other times it could be an intentional or spiteful misrepresentation of the truth. We can’t control anyone else’s choices, but we can control our own with God’s help. If we do our best to obey God’s precepts, we’ll develop a reputation of righteousness, and it will be less likely that others believe any “false witness” against us. I know it hurts when someone speaks ill of you, but God brings comfort and gives us the strength to behave correctly instead of seeking revenge. When others choose wrong, strive to choose right. In this way we can point those we encounter to the Faithful One.