Dr. Grant Scarborough
I got a ticket two days ago – and yes I am bitter. It is all I can talk about. Maybe if I write it down, I can let it go. But before I let it go, I need to set the record straight. I need to make things right. I need to clear the air and my name.
I received a ticket for not wearing my seat belt. . . . . while wearing my seat belt. That’s right people. The officer asked, “Do you know why I pulled you over?” A very leading question, but I had no idea why he pulled me over. “No sir.” His next line was my favorite, “I see you have conveniently put on your seat belt since driving past me.” That little accusatory, spiteful sentence got my blood going. “Excuse me – I had my seat belt on the entire time.”
I got a ticket.
I have thought about my situation for 2 days now. Do I drive back down 5 hours away to fight this or do I just pay the fine? It would cost more to drive down there – but boy do I want to say in court – “I was wearing my seat belt!!!!” I want to be vindicated. I did nothing wrong and I would like my name cleared.
Whew – Feeling better already. Maybe if you read this and know I am not an evil law breaker, that would give me the peace I need. I have been wronged and I desire justice! OK forget the sentence you just read about peace. My blood is still boiling!
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“Why not rather suffer wrong?”
“Why not rather be defrauded?”
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What, are you kidding me? I will not stand for being defrauded. Forget it.
But Paul writes in Corinthians those two lines – Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?
He is talking about two Christians having arguments that they are unable to settle. They cannot agree and the argument is so intense, they take it to court to have the matter settled. In the process, the church looks divided and Christ’s name is tarnished. The Christians were unable to love each other enough to settle their disputes so they go to open court, which hurts the cause of Christ. Then he writes those two questions.
Wouldn’t you rather suffer wrong or be defrauded so that you can love your brother and promote the cause of the church – to usher in the kingdom of Christ?
Ummmm, NO – I desire to be right!
Listen – just lose the argument even though you were right. Just take one for team Jesus. Suffer wrongly so that Christ’s kingdom goes forward. Do not even try to justify yourself. Let your brother win. Stop trying to be right. Just take the shame, the loss of money, the loss of property, the feeling of being right. Take it for something bigger then yourself. Let your name be smeared so Christ’s kingdom will be glorified. Suffer wrongly! Be defrauded for the name of Christ.
ARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH – to heck with that! I am going to fight this ticket.
There is something in me that will not let things go until we are made right. The thought of being wronged is too much for me – do not even think about defrauding me! I have rights.
But Paul says to lay your rights down for King Jesus. This is a hard pill for me to swallow. Christ is more important than me being right. Others are more important than me as well. I can lose and I can lose big, but I never lose with Christ. If I lose the entire world, I have lost nothing with Christ. Christ plus nothing is everything. My good name, being right, having everything except Christ is nothing.
God executed Jesus instead of me. Ponder that phrase for a moment. God sacrificed his own Son so that He can spare us. Jesus was wronged, and He was defrauded so that we could be in relationship with God. Maybe it is time we believed the gospel. Christ’s name is better than ours. We now live for His name and His kingdom and His people. We live so that His name will never be defrauded again, even if ours is.
Oh dear friend – Be wronged! Be Defrauded! Be both if need be for the purification of the church, the love of the brotherhood, the name of Christ, and the advancement of the kingdom.
And please share this with that policeman in Florida!