1 Peter 2:23 Entrusting Ourselves
Food for Thought
An all-creatures.org Guide to Kingdom Living. True Christian living requires us to live according to Kingdom standards which bring Heaven to earth

By Marni Montanez

1 Peter 2:23 Tree of Life Version 

23. When He was abused, He did not return the abuse.While suffering, He made no threats. Instead, He kept entrusting Himself to the One who judges righteously.

This verse is probably one of the hardest example to follow.   In this world we learn to be fighters; to stick up for ourselves and stand our ground. Those who don't fight will become victims.

We are taught to speak our mind or through abuse, we are taught to hide in the shadows of our low self esteem and cower to the confidence of others.  

We have to be right or fight until we are right.  We won’t allow others to defeat us or have one over on us in any way  because of our pride.1 Corinthians 6:7 New International Version (NIV)

7. The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?

Arguments escalate when one or the other feels their point of view on the subject is not being agreed upon.  Of course, everyone will deny this about themselves. The truth is we probably all feel that way one time or another.  

People who have road rage get in their cars already angry or upset or maybe even have issues underneath so that they think they are fine.  They can maintain a low level of emotion until something, insignificant to a healthy person, sets them off.   

People are ready to threaten others or shout to be heard or call names because that is the only ammunition they have.  It gets to the point of being irrational because we just want our way. 

When Jesus was arrested,   He fell into His Father's hands,  believing everything that happened to Him was God’s will.    His trust went beyond believing.   Jesus knew His Father was always in full control and that it was His Father who would defend Him when the time came. 

On the other hand we stand with our fists raised, ready to fight anyone who disagrees with us or says or does something offensive to us.    

People offended Jesus all the time, but He was mature and whole so His responses were never reactive.  Jesus let go of all His defenses and chose to stand under the protective wings of His Father and we must learn to do the same.

Challenge:  When people abuse you or take advantage of you,  get out of the situation with forgiveness on your heart and allow God to deal with them.

God bless

Marni

Go on to: 1 Peter 3:8 - Be of One Mind
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The purpose of this series is to encourage people to live as loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God: Jesus tells us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) God tells us through Micah (6:8), "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God." And we know from Revelation 21:4 that there will be no more mourning, or crying, or pain, or death. Thus, Christian living requires us to set the standards of these conditions here on earth for our fellow human beings, and for the other animals, as a witness to the rest of the world. To do otherwise is not Christian.