Lisa Barry: Have you ever suffered at the hands of someone else? Maybe someone caused a car accident that took a major toll on your health. Or possibly it was the gossip of a coworker that forced you out of a job. We all have our own war stories of wounds that came about by no fault of our own. So what can we do about them? Elisabeth Elliot has some timely advice if you're in this situation. Let's join her now for this Tuesday edition of Gateway To Joy.

Elisabeth Elliot: "You are loved with an everlasting love." That's what the Bible says. "And underneath are the everlasting arms." This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot, talking again today about "Why Not Take Wrong?"

Yesterday I read a wonderful paper from a dear friend of mine. His name is Frank Murray. He is an older man. I consider him a spiritual father. When I just simply don't know the answer about things, I call Frank Murray. That paper that he wrote yesterday was a plea to Christians not to go to court, not to make a scene, even in their own church. Why not rather take wrong?

Many of my listeners have been wronged. I suppose all of us, in one way or another, have wronged other people. Of course we have. We're all sinners, aren't we?

I want to read to you from 2 Corinthians 5:14-21. "Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone; the new has come. All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you, on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

Note that. We are Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. The way we do things, the way we see things, has got to be 180 degrees different from the way the world does. In order to be a Christian, we practically have to stand on our heads, don't we, in order to see things clearly, because the world seems so upside-down. We live in a very litigious society-everybody going to court against everybody, sometimes over the most ridiculously small things. Sometimes, of course, over very big things. But what is a Christian to do?

Watchman Nee, in one of his books, tells the story of a Chinese farmer, who as a new believer experienced a crisis of faith. He discovered that his neighbor had breached the retaining bank of the Christian farmer's garden. The neighbor was running this farmer's water onto his own land.

Now in those areas, these were terraced hills and it was tremendously laborious work to pump the water by hand up those hills in order to water one's garden. So it was a very serious breach for this neighbor to be stealing the Christian farmer's water.

The farmer went to the church. He went to the elders in the church. He told them what was happening and he said, "It is not righteous. What does a Christian do?" Well, they didn't give him a glib answer. They all knelt together in prayer. They said, "Try going the second mile."

Remember what Jesus said. "If a man asks you to go one mile, go with him two. If he asks you for your coat, give him your cloak also. If he hits you on one cheek, turn the other one." Does that make any sense? Certainly not from a worldly point of view, but Christians live in a different world, with a different set of laws.

Well, guess what that farmer did? The next morning, he went to work and spent the entire morning pumping water for his neighbor's garden. He pumped water then for two strips of the neighbor's wet land and then spent the whole afternoon pumping his own water.

Well, can you imagine the neighbor's astonishment? He was absolutely dumbfounded. He had never heard of anyone doing a thing like this. Watchman Nee says that the story ended with the neighbor soon drinking the Living Water. In other words, this kind and unexpected action on the part of the Christian farmer made a Christian out of his neighbor.

My nephew, my brother Phil Howard's son, his name is Eugene, has written some rather good poetry. He's also a guitar player and he writes songs and sings them with his own accompaniment. But he wrote this way back in 1980. He was a very young man then.

"I have been wronged, Lord; I, who seek the right. I cannot love this one, who without cause has out of hatred, selfishness or spite brought me injustice; I, who seek Your laws. I have my rights, Lord; I, who seek Your name. I cannot give to him who takes my share, who bends and breaks the rules that make the game equitable so all is just and fair. I'm willing, Lord, to pardon and forgive, if only he who wronged me will relent. It's only fair that if I have to give, the one responsible should yield, repent.

My child, I suffered evil, shame and wrong, and yet I love all those who brought Me pain. I have not sinned, yet for a murderous throng I gave My rights and for their sins was slain. My child, My love was spurned by hateful men, and yet I gave, expecting no return. They mocked and beat Me, adding to their sin, yet I forgave. From My example, learn.

My child, My law, My first command I give: Love Me, your Lord, with all your strength and soul. Then love your neighbor. When he's wrong, forgive. Forgive again. Let love thus be your goal. My child, come follow Me, My words obey. One thing only-seek My will to do. And give your love when wronged by men, for they will answer Me and I have forgiven you."

"One thing only-seek My will to do. And give your love when wronged by men, for they will answer Me and I have forgiven you."

To whom am I speaking today who has suffered deeply because of another person's wrongs? What has your attitude been? "I'll get back at him. I'll take him to court. I'll cut off my friendship with that person."

We certainly are tempted, aren't we, to respond in just that way. But that's not the way the Lord wants us to respond. Jesus said, "In the world you will have trouble or tribulation. But be of good cheer! I have overcome the world."

One of the ways in which you and I can overcome the world is to love unreasonably, to relinquish our right to ourselves. Yes, you may have a right to a court case. You may have a right to reconciliation, to the withdrawal of the lawsuit. Whatever your situation may be right now, will you ask the Lord what He wants you to do?

Remember that Jesus said, "If you want to be My disciple, you must give up your right to yourself." Another translation says, "You must deny yourself and take up the cross and follow Me."

When's the last time you denied yourself? Something that you desperately wanted and accepted the relinquishment of that thing. When's the last time you really truly, honestly and wholeheartedly, gave up your right to yourself?

Have you been deeply wronged by someone? May you ask the Lord for grace greater than all your sin and theirs, because usually when someone has hurt us, we are so hurt that we immediately sin against that person. Am I right? Isn't that the general attitude that most of us would take? But the Lord is saying to us, "You shall overcome the world, because I have overcome the world."

"O Thou, the primal fount of life and peace, who shedst Thy breathing quiet all around, in me command that pain and conflict cease and turn to music every jarring sound."

It's rare when injustice or sleights patiently borne do not leave the heart at the close of the day filled with marvelous joy and peace.

Lisa Barry: Well, I hope you found comfort from today's program if someone has wronged you. I also hope you have the courage to ask forgiveness from a person you may have wronged. That's not an easy thing. And as you ponder how God wants to apply what you've learned today, let me suggest getting a copy of this weekly tape. There are so many gems of wisdom laced through this whole week, and I know they'll help reinforce and nourish the seeds that were planted in your soil today.

The title to ask for is UNREASONABLENESS AND INJUSTICE. The cost is $7. You can send that, along with your request, to Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68501. Or call toll-free: 1-800-759-4JOY. That's 1-800-759-4569. Our Internet ministry address is gatewaytojoy.org. Gateway To Joy has been a production of Back to the Bible.

Tomorrow Elisabeth talks about the seemingly impossible task of loving your enemies. That's next time on Gateway To Joy.