Happy Thanksgiving!

Agree with your adversary

When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.  Luke 12:58

We live in an extremely angry world.  People everywhere are ready to tell you what they are irritated and even angry about.  Whether it is the government, their job and even home life, most people are unhappy about their surroundings and want everyone around them to know about it.  They look for the problem in every circumstance of life, never considering that there is a positive side to the issue.

Today’s verse is about settling or coming to agreement with your adversary before you go to a judge.  In fact if you continue to read through the passage, it sounds like no matter what the circumstances were, you will not find justice in the courts.  This is not a popular message, and no one wants to hear that the right thing to do is to find a place of agreement in every conflict.  This is not to say that you agree with every complaint, but the passage does say that if you end up in court, the judge has no personal stake in the argument, and he will hand you over to be thrown in prison.

This is extreme, I know, but I can relate to this because I was once in a predicament where I was in a court battle.  If was ugly and there is no being nice in that situation.  Going through the court system will bring the worst out in anyone.  I felt defenseless because I was not willing to be ruthless and callous through the process.  As I prayed and committed the hearings to the LORD, I knew in my spirit that He was telling me to get this argument out of the courts and settle peacefully.  I did, but it felt like I was giving up.  I didn’t feel like I was being treated fairly, but at least I was the one who made the decision to settle which put the control in my hands.  I had no idea of the long-term benefits that would come from that decision.  All I could see in the moment was that I was giving up my rights and letting the other party off the hook.  Now years later, I am so thankful that I listened to God’s direction.  What could have been drawn out for years and hurt many innocent people along the way, was cut short with no lasting repercussions.  God took care of me and my rights after I surrendered them and got rid of the pride and anger that I was holding on to. 

Now when I read this scripture, it makes perfect sense to me.  When I agree with my adversary quickly and settle things in a peaceful way, it not only honors God, but it also gives Him an entrance into the situation to work things out for good, every time.

Today I want to encourage you to put anger far from you.  Surrender all your hurts and offenses over to your loving Father.  He will take care of you as you give Him entrance into all the conflict you in life. If you do find yourself in a situation that escalates to the magistrate, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to the peaceful resolution. He will and even if it doesn’t make sense at the time, it will be the best solution for the future.

Today’s scripture reading: Luke 12:57-59

57 “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 

58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 

59 I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”