My enemies are right – sometimes. Perhaps not about everything, but the parts that they are right about are often the only parts they see, and of course, become their focus. While they are trapped in this thinking (or the lack of it) they inhibit their own growth. Dialogue at this point is fruitless. You have to wait it out while all parties have time to grow (or not).
Everyone worth his or her salt (even a smidgeon) will have enemies. The wiser person will regard them as an opportunity for growth, love, an opportunity to better understand the inescapable human condition. Regarding your enemies as a gift, as teachers, a means to greater self-discovery, will give you a beautiful gift they probably did not intend to give.
Resist the urge to defend yourself. Try rather to learn what it is about you that warranted opposition and criticism. This does not necessarily mean you have to backtrack or back off or back down (although it might require all three) but it will teach you about negotiating the future with a message modified or intensified.
All holiness is immediate and local. The manner in which you treat your enemies is the measure of your character and integrity.
