1 Corinthians 6:7
Now, therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? (NKJV)
Dirty Laundry
"You have to stand up for your rights!" That's what the world, and often even people in the church say, but is it really true, from God's perspective?
Have you ever considered how standing up for your rights—particularly against another Christian, with unbelievers present—impacts your witness? The entire sixth chapter of 1 Corinthians deals with the issue of a believer taking another believer to court. The bottom line is, it just shouldn't be done.
Division in the Church
Unfortunately, much of what the world sees of the church is not good. They see division and strife. They see all manner of disputes, and they don't want to have anything to do with such unloving, uncaring people. Can you blame them?
So then, what should you do if there is a dispute between you and another believer? According to the verse above, you should accept the wrong, and let yourself be cheated. Ouch! That hurts, but it is the course of action that is preferable to taking your brother or sister to court.
Serious Disputes
But what if there really is a serious dispute, that you feel needs to be mediated? 1 Corinthians 6:5 deals with this: ". . . Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?" This verse instructs us to look to a wise, impartial person in the church, who will judge fairly and help you to settle the matter with another believer, rather than taking the person to court. Matthew 18:15-17 outlines a plan for dealing with offenses in a God-honoring manner.
The bottom line is that the unsaved people in our lives watch how Christians handle disputes. Don't air your dirty laundry in front of them! Instead, work out your differences in the God-ordained manner. That, my friends, will be a powerful witness!
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Rebecca Livermore is a freelance writer, speaker and guest contributor for About.com. Her passion is helping people grow in Christ. She is the author of the weekly devotional column Relevant Reflections on www.studylight.org and is a part-time staff writer for Memorize Truth (www.memorizetruth.com). For more information visit Rebecca's Bio Page.
