Your question is very worthwhile. Let me start by saying that God, more than anything, is a God of balance and a God of being what we need to be when we need to be it. And when we study the Bible, there's a place where we take into account the context in which certain instructions and counsel were given, right?

In Christianity today, I would say to a very great degree, there is an overemphasis sometimes, not all the time, on the lamb-like nature of Jesus Christ. Are you following me? That is the one that submits itself to be consumed by others, that one that sacrifices itself, that one that lays down. There is an overemphasis on that nature, forgetting that Christ is also a lion.

At the time Jesus Christ appeared 2,000 years ago, the average Jew at that time was already a lion, especially towards themselves. They were cheating themselves; they were outwitting themselves; and all kinds of things, and very few people had the heart of a lamb, hence his message being overly, well, his message overly emphasizing the lamb nature.

But there are times when, my friend, we have to speak up for ourselves and we have to be very shrewd in our engagements, right? Because God didn't raise us to be pushovers. If for the sake of what he wants to achieve, we need to take the path of the fool, that is great, but the sons of God are not foolish, and neither are the sons of God pushovers, right?

If there wasn't a purpose for Jesus Christ being punched by those soldiers, if there wasn't a purpose for him being killed the way he was, he would never have submitted himself to go through that kind of suffering. To be a Christian doesn't mean people are going to take advantage of us, make a fool of us, and whatnot. Are there times when we have to endure foolishness and have to put up with rubbish for the sake of what God wants to achieve? Absolutely.

But a lot of times, in the name of Christianity, we don't know where our silence makes us accomplices with crime, right? Where rubbish is happening, rubbish that we're supposed to call out and refuse and not agree with, but in the name of, I'm a Christian; I don't want trouble, we keep silent. Absolutely not.

Jesus Christ was a peacemaker, but when he came into the temple and saw how the house of God had become a house of commerce, he didn't sit by; he spoke against it. Are you following me? So there's balance to this thing. Don't allow people to take advantage of you, except if it's a play on wisdom, where, you know, you are succumbing to certain things because there's a long vision that God has given to you.

But if it's just, oh, you know, sometimes even in this country, for example, you know, someone is cheating you, they have robbed you of your money, and they'll now say, "Ah, but you're a Christian now, just let it go." Why should I let it go? I gave you a service. You have the money to pay me for my service, and you won't pay me because what? I'm a Christian, never. Are you following me?

Except it's a genuine case where maybe something happened, and the person genuinely has no way of paying back. That's when you can begin to consider letting it go because the person genuinely has no way of paying back, but God created a world of reciprocal nourishment.

Anything that gives must also receive in return. So it's actually ungodly for you to give something, give a service, and someone doesn't pay you. It's ungodly as a matter of fact, and if you create a society that entertains that, we're creating a very ungodly, unjust, and evil society.

So there's a way that Christianity has to be represented in a way that is practical, sensible, and can produce healthy people. Do you get my point?

Again, I don't know the context of the advantage, taking advantage of you that you're talking about and whatnot, but I'll tell you this: that you're a Christian doesn't mean people need to swindle you, people need to step on you, and all of that, except it's for the greater good or there's an end. Are you getting me?

Because Paul didn't just let people beat him for nothing. No, he thought of your salvation. He thought of mine. There was an end goal in sight, and all that suffering was just a concession, right? It was something he had to put up with. The Bible says for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross.

The cross is not something sons of God enjoy; it's something they endure for the joy that is in front of them.

So if we're just suffering for nothing, people are cheating us, swindling us, and guilt-tripping us by saying, "Are you not a Christian?" No, we're doing the wrong thing. And without knowing it, we are complacent with crime, and in a sense, we're party to it because we chose to keep silent. You understand?

So, don't let that because you're a Christian; people should take advantage of you. No, you stand up for yourself, and you call things out, and you say "No" when it's time to say "No." It's not everything you agree with just because you're a Christian. Christianity doesn't mean foolishness. Do you understand? It is well with you, my dear; God bless you.