How To Handle Unfair Treatment

How to Handle Unfair Treatment

(Romans 12:9-13:7)

Yearly Theme:  “Peace is…”

Series Title:  “The Cost of Peace”

September 26^th, 2021

Something to think about:

Have you ever been treated unfairly?  Have you been accused of something, or rejected for something you didn’t do?  Have you been betrayed by a friend, family member, or co-worker?  Have you been rejected, dejected, or demoralized due to no fault of your own?

If your answer to any of the above questions is, “YES,” then today’s message is for you!

As believers in Christ, our conduct and response to unfair treatment is to be different than the world’s response.  Instead of getting even with someone for hurting us, or treating us with contempt, we are to love that person.  Instead of getting revenge when someone has caused us embarrassment or shame, we should pray for them and wish for their best.  Instead of tearing someone down, we should be building each other up.  But all of this is so very hard.  How do we do this with any sense of sincerity, and honesty?

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, we read instructions that speak directly to overcoming unfair treatment.  Let’s take a look…

Turn in your Bibles to:  Romans 12:9-13:7

The key point this morning is this…

Key Point:  “Love, forgiveness, and honor are keys to overcoming hurt, unfair treatment, and evil in this world.”

You may be asking yourself right now, “But Brandon, how can I have honor and respect for someone who is not honorable or respectable?”  And, to that I would say, “Honor and respect aren’t only given to those who deserve it (and truth be known, none of us do), but rather to all who are created in the image of GOD.”  This includes every person on the face of the earth.

So, how do we do this?  Well, we have to consider three important values:

• Love is the   to overcoming  .

Romans 12:9-13

• Forgiveness is the   to breaking the cycle of  .

Romans 12:14-21

• Honor is the   to a stable and just  .

Romans 13:1-5

Something to take home:

The nineteenth-century American poet, E. H. Chapin wrote,

“Never does the human soul appear so strong and noble as when it foregoes revenge and dares to forgive an injury.”[1]

Love, forgiveness, and honor are commodities to be held in high regard, and not to be withheld discriminately.  Everyone, at a bare minimum, are entitled to these things due to the fact that all people are created in the image of GOD.  Truth be known, none of us are worthy to receive these things based on merit alone, for we have all sinned and fallen short of GOD’s glorious standard.

Today, have you failed to love, forgive, and honor people GOD has placed in your life, or in your pathway?  What will you do with the information you’ve just received?  Will you accept the challenge to offer love, forgiveness and honor the way GOD has offered these things to you?  Or will you refuse even the commonest of decencies afforded to your fellow man?

Key Point:  “Love, forgiveness, and honor are keys to overcoming hurt, unfair treatment, and evil in this world.”

[1] Ralph Emerson Browns, Rev. Ed., The New Dictionary of Thoughts, (Standard Book Co, 1960), 218.