1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing.
It is for this reason that you were called. You want to know why you were called to a be a Christian? You want to know why Christians exist? So that you can replay evil with a blessing. That's it. That's the whole reason for the church. Vengeance has no place for the Christian. Getting even. Proving you're right and they're wrong.
I just read a great book about Hutterites during World War I in the United States. Hutterites are a church where one of their core founding principles is pacifism. During World War I, the right to conscientious objection didn't exist and/or was not observed in the United States. This book was about three Hutterite men in particular who spent the war at Alcatraz and Leavenworth for refusing to take up a weapon. Two of them died in prison. And none of their relatives fought back. To me, it is one of the most profound statements of Christian faith I've ever seen. They stayed committed to their principles even to death, bearing witness the whole way. Their witness paved the way for legal protections for conscientious objectors. They brought a blessing. You can too.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
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