In the First Reading we see something of the qualities of David which make him stand out so much among the personalities of the Old Testament. We have here a demonstration of humility which would be a credit to the most devout Catholic. A man from Saul's family is abusing David for overthrowing Saul and for being a murderer. David's followers were all for killing the man but David admitted that everything the man said was true. We have here a very good example of turning the other cheek (very rare in the Old Testament - not to mention in contemporary life!). Our hitting back in such situations does not protect our dignity but rather reveals our insecurity. When people say bad things about us, either they are true or they are false. If true, we can accept them; nothing new is being said. If they are false, we can ignore them. Of course, there may be situations where, for serious reasons, we might have to defend our reputation. I might lose my job because of false accusations or I might even find myself unjustly being charged with a crime. Apart from David's example, we can look too at Jesus, especially during His trial. He too met His accusers with a dignified silence. In doing so, He towers over them in dignity and strength. Your word is truth, O Lord.