Winning Wisdom: Don't Suffer Foolishly

Author: Ese Ehimare Dave

Topic: Don't Suffer Foolishly [Saturday, 26th Nov. 2016]

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 1 Peter 4:15

It is a fact that persecutions are normal with us as Christians, but there are some Christians who are being persecuted or suffering, not because of Christ, but because of their own wrong doing. I must state the fact that God forgives all wrong doing, but there are human laws, that if broken, consequences must abound. As Christians, if we break these laws, we will face the full penalty of the law, if found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. This is why we must be law abiding citizens.

Titus 3:1 says: "put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work." In a nutshell, Titus is saying that we should obey constituted laws of our place of domicile. Yes, pwe are not of the world, but we are in the world. And Jesus didn't pray to our Father to take us out of the world, but He prayed the Father to keep us out of the evil in the world (John 17:14-15). And God is doing that through His word, which He has given to us (John 17:17).

It will only amount to foolishness if we suffer, not for God's glory, but for being lawbreakers. We should only face persecution that will bring glory to God and us, and not suffering that will bring reproach. Let us study the laws that govern where we live and consciously live within its confines. We must not be ignorant of the laws, so we won't break them, because ignorance of the law is not an excuse to escape prosecution by the law. Let us be law abiding citizens and not suffer foolishly.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for Your Word that keeps me from evil. By the working of your Spirit, I live as a law abiding citizen and not a lawbreaker in Jesus' Name. Amen.