I recently read an article about the former Mayor of a large city who participated in a public prayer rally. The Town Council passed a resolution censuring her for her participation. In response, she is suing individual City and the Council members $10M for censuring her, violating her constitutional rights, damaging her reputation, and contributing to her loss of business and professional opportunities. Have you ever been treated unjustly? All of us have, at one time or another. Does the Bible have anything to say about this! Yes—but you may not like the answer! Let's listen to a passage from one of the apostle Peter's letters and consider how we might apply it to our own lives today:

Twice in this short passage Peter calls doing good and suffering unjustly "a gracious thing." Then Peter goes further, saying that suffering unjustly is our calling. And if you and I have been called to suffer unjustly, it's part of God's plan. Why? So that you and I can share in Christ's suffering. Sinless, he was beaten, tortured, and murdered in a public execution based on false testimony. What did He do about it? He forgave them. And if we are to follow Jesus, we too must forgive. When you are treated unfairly, especially when you are living out your faith, how do you respond? Do you get mad and stand up for your rights? Do you sue somebody? Whatever our constitutional rights might be, suffering unjustly is part of our calling.

Today, are you living out your calling, forgiving those who have treated you unjustly? Whenever we forgive those who treat us unjustly, we are being like Jesus...and that is very Good News!

Thanks for listening. For full transcripts and replays of all devotions, visit teachmi.com/Dave. And please, join us again on Monday.