If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers! 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? Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.
1 Corinthians 6:4–8
One believer suing another and furthermore putting it all on display before society and secular judges! Paul says don’t you see you are doing all this right in front of the unbelievers. Don’t you get what you are doing? These matters you get upset about are trivial matters. Trivial matters like money? You have to be kidding . . . don’t you know he conned me out of $XXX.XX? Don’t you understand she stole thousands from me. The issues that are always the focus of small claims court are money, goods and land. You can’t take any of it with you! Our problem is often that pride stands in the way of us yielding ground. “They are in the wrong not me.” Could there be a higher good or higher wrong?
Do you think you could come to the point where you are willing to suffer loss for the sake of your brother or sister in Christ? For many of us the issues of justice are heightened when it is a fellow believer who is “doing us wrong”. An option is to yield the ground and leave it to God who judges justly. Klaus Peter Kugler found that truth when living among the Fayu. The chief’s son constantly stole crocodile meat from him. One day he felt God telling him give more crocodile meat to the chief’s son who had just stolen the crocodile meat he was drying. That one act of going the extra mile turned the Fayu people around and opened them up to the Gospel. How strong is your gospel? Strong enough to overcome your own predispositions?
Here is some radical advice: Are you strong enough to do it?
“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbour’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! [Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you.] Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:38-45
Don’t allow anyone to convince you that God minds you having money. He doesn’t; He just minds money having you!
Bob Gass
Three Principles: First remember that God owns everything. Your name may be on the account, but don’t get any wrong ideas. Second, remember that God is your source. You don’t have a thing He didn’t give you. Third, remember that every spending decision is a spiritual decision.
Ian Vail