Quote of the Day - 4/11

Somebody in your life who has authority over you - a boss, a supervisor, a parent or somebody in a position of leadership may be treating you unfairly. You know that what they are doing is wrong, and they probably know it, too. Consequently, you may be tempted to treat that person with disdain or disrespect. It's easy to rationalize or justify a wrong attitude toward that person. After all, (you may be thinking) - my boss is rude. He's ungodly. I don't have to treat him respectfully. Or my parents argue and fight all the time. I am not going to obey them. Or, my spouse doesn't go to church with me. How am I supposed to respect a person like that?

The truth is, whether that person is behaving correctly or not, God expects us to honor his or her position of authority. Don't make excuses and try to justify in your mind why you are free to speak or act disrespectfully toward that person. If you refuse to live under authority, God will never promote you to a position of greater authority.

It's easy to respect those in positions of authority as long as they are being kind to us or when we agree with that person. But the true test comes when you get a "Saul" in your life, when someone treats you unfairly for no apparent reason.

Like David, many people today have been chosen by God to do something great. God wants to place them in positions of honor, positions of leadership, but for some reason they don't ever pass the test. Instead of trusing God, they are always trying to manipulate circumstances, to bring justice on their own. Instead of just letting offenses go, forgiving the offender and trusting God to make the wrongs right, they are always trying to pay back the "Sauls" in their lives. But there is a better way.

God knows how to bring justice into your life. If you will leave your concerns in God's hands, He will settle your cases. He will make your wrongs right. He's promised to take that evil and turn it around and use it to your advantage. It doesn't matter how badly somebody has hurt you, or how far their actions or words have set you back, God can turn that situation around and make itall up to you, plus much more!

Leave it to God. Live a life of forgiveness. Don't go around trying to pay people back, trying to get revenge. God sees every wrong that's being done to you. God sees every person that's ever hurt you. He's keeping the record, and the Scripture says if you don't avenge yourself, God will pay you back. And He'll not only pay you back, He'll pay you back in abundance.