1 Corinthians 6:7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? Living Bible
Luke 6:29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
Why not let yourself be cheated?
When slammed up-side the head, offer also the other cheek; chase down the cloak thief and give him your coat also. What religion is this? Ours. Friends,
“be gentle with all men, apt to teach; in meekness instruct those who oppose themselves.”
Perhaps God will grant them repentance. Really? Those who oppose you, actually, oppose themselves.
“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. And Proverbs 25:15 says; By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.”
Tenderness makes a raving maniac to be sane, and breaks his bone? Apparently.
Proverbs 26:4 goes on; Don’t answer a fool in terms of his folly, or you will be descending to his level; Proverbs 26:5 then goes; but answer a fool as his folly deserves, so that he won’t think he is wise.
Do we have to learn this stuff? God thinks,” yes.” He wants us to get our hands dirty, to mix it up, to become experts with mankind’s diversity.
Folks, we will meet all sorts of nut-cases, nimcompoops, dullards and mongers. These are different to us. In order to understand them we will also find ourselves transactionally analyzing them, or maybe these others: Buffoon, clown, silly, brain-dead or untidy.
Have you ever spilled a whole plate of food on your lap? — Shot some off your fork on to another? Ever accidentally run another car off the road? Ever slip a swear word when angry, or worse, in your everyday church speech? Ever find out, hours later, that you had a string of spinach in your teeth showing? Ever meet that person now for the ninth time and still forget their first name?
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
Ain’t that the truth? “God was in Christ, not imputing their trespasses against them and has committed unto us a word of reconciliation.” This means that all barriers between God and man have been removed and “the way we are” was the big logjam. Not just the way we were, but the way we are.
It’s okay; all sanity is only in The Spirit.
We have all met the man; it’s our insane self that has been introduced back to us so we can all laugh. Grace tells us we are still okay. God already dealt with that dude who flunked Existence 101, years ago and is okay with it because we have been redeemed to pre-nut-cake status at the cross.
Friends, the Father must fragment our hearts sometime to teach us how to be put back together.
This is vital for us because we can learn how to keep together now. He will show us how to maintain our sanity and rebuild it even if we fail at times. His love holds us in, His Word integrates our soul, His Person joins us in peace, and when we let it rule in our hearts, it passes understanding.
Now, we meet the new man “in Christ.” Brain is working, emotions calm. He is conscious of God’s Spirit. He has the mind of Christ.
Yes, “Legion” has been restored to his right mind.
In closing, David said in the Psalms, “I will wash my hands in innocency.” Wow! Jesus told His disciples, “now are you clean, (innocent), through the Word that I have spoken.” Can we imagine total innocence? That is you, the man in Christ. Try it on for a day and then two. It will pale your pain. It will glue you back together. Love ya
