Articles
It’s Just Not Fair!
You try so hard to live right and then somebody gives you a hard time. Arrogant, pushy, and rude, people like this don’t respect your rights or care how you feel. They break every rule in the book and get away with it. They accuse you of things you didn’t do. Where’s the justice in that? It’s just not right!
The most natural thing in the world, of course, is to react—immediately, verbally, violently. Make ’em pay! Give them a taste of their own medicine. Make ’em wish they had never messed with you!
►What God Does
What the Bible says about not retaliating may strike us as idealistic, naïve, and unworkable. But have we really tried it? Jesus tells us, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you . . . .” But why? What good is that?
His next statement is, “…so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:44-45).
In doing good to those who are evil, we prove to be His children!
►What Christ Did
Writing to Christian servants whose masters were far fromt fair, Peter says, “But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
“Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps….When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:20b-21, 23).
►What We Do
If we, like Jesus, trust God for the outcome, we too can endure. By following Jesus’ example of patient endurance, we grow in His likeness. And isn’t becoming like Jesus what it’s all about?
Now if we can just remember that the next time somebody gives us a hard time!
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
