Devotion - Wednesday, October 18

I Corinthians 6:7 raises a challenge to us in our confrontational, litigious society.  St. Paul writes:  "In fact, to have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you.  Why not rather be wronged?  Why not rather be defrauded?"

The mood of our society is tilted toward blaming someone else; toward tearing down another out of a false hope of building up ourselves.  St. Paul reminds us that such interaction patterns will never allow us to be the persons Christ calls us to be.

It may not be fair, but it is Christian, to suffer the wrong rather than to insult or defame or strike out against the other.  Jesus calls us to follow; and part of that following is to be the one who absorbs hatred rather than returning it.