Jesus Christ has given us specific instructions regarding mistreatment by others. We are to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This can't be said too often. How many times does Jesus say to forgive others? Seventy times seven? Through Christ and through Him only, can we receive the power necessary to forgive. For now, doing this is like moving a mountain but Jesus assures us, with a little faith, even a mountain can be tossed into the sea.

As a member of Christ's body, we are required to change our thinking about mistreatment. We are required to give our burdens to the Lord and by doing so, keep our ire down. How often will we have to give our burdens to the Lord? As often as it takes. How many of the body of Christ are required to give our burdens to Him? All of us.

How many of the body of Christ are to learn to follow the Holy Spirit's gentle nudging? The entire body because it is the entire body that will receive the reward of seeing God's Kingdom Come and His will be done here on earth (as Jesus taught us to pray).

As a member of the body of Christ, we are either one in spirit with each other, in Him or potentially one in spirit with each other, in Him. If that is true, anything anyone is doing to me is as if it is being done to them. Likewise, anything I am doing to others is as if it is being done to myself. But further, anytime I THINK I have been unjustly criticized, slandered, hurt, mentally mauled, or emotionally raked over the coals by someone else, I have missed the boat that takes me to God's Harbor of Peace. To catch that boat, I must learn to instantly give the burden to the Lord and not pick it up again.

I must recognize instantly that THEY (whoever they are) are to be judged by God, not me. I must treat them as I'd treat myself in order to truly follow the Lord and I must realize that anything THEY do or say, reflects MY current state of mind, by the fruit of what happens. If I react as if I were assaulted then their assault reflects that I am not yet following Christ's instructions to forgive. Through the wondrous power of Jesus Christ, I will bless them for showing this fact to me and, again, with full submission to the Lord, at last, forgive them and, therefore, myself.

So, in this regard, the carnal world in which the members of the body of Christ temporarily reside is nothing but a mirror. That's all. When Adam and Eve had to find new living quarters, our ancestors all took a leave of absence from God and His wonderful Kingdom. And, His children, our ancestors, had to make a place where finite is a way of life. Today we find ourselves with a narrow scope of vision, limited to what the carnal body is capable of seeing; Today it seems we have to scrunch our magnificent, infinite souls now that we have accepted Christ, into these little flesh and blood containers that are born and whither and die in the wink of an eye.

In this day and age, long after our ancestors left Eden and the exit gate slammed shut, we can choose, because Christ died for our sins, to stop the madness and be at peace. The Lord shows us the way as He promised He'd do.

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