A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE LAW ON SPECIAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AGAINST CHILD ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION

A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE LAW ON SPECIAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN

AGAINST CHILD ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION

                                            (REPUBLIC ACT 7610)

By: Judge Ray Alan T. Drilon

Executive Judge RTC, Bacolod City

Presiding Judge Family Court

The Philippines is a signatory to the UN convention on the rights of the child, and the passage of this law,  grants statutory protection to children, as a declared national policy.

What is the policy behind this law?

1. It provides special protection to children from all forms of abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation and discrimination and other conditions prejudicial to their development.
2. It provides sanctions against these acts of abuse.
3. It provides program for prevention,  deterrence, and intervention against acts of child abuse.
4. It provides state intervention on behalf of the child in case a) the parent, guardian, teacher or person having care and custody of the child fails or is unable to protect the child against abuse, exploitation and discrimination, or b)  when the parent guardian teacher or person having care and custody of the child commits such acts of abuse.
5. It upholds as paramount the best interest of the child in all actions concerning them.                       

Definitions

Who are children under this law?

Children are persons below 18 years of age

Persons who even over 18 year of age are unable to fully  take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation and discrimination, because of physical or mental disability or condition.

What is child abuse?

It refers to the maltreatment of the child which includes any of the following:

1. Psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse, and emotional maltreatment.
2. Any act, by deed or word, which debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of the child.
3. Unreasonable deprivation of basic needs for survival, such as food and shelter.
4. Failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child, resulting in serious impairment of his growth, and development or permanent incapacity or death.

What are the circumstances (situations) which gravely threaten or endanger the survival and normal development of children?

Children are in a place or community where there is armed conflict.

Children are working under conditions hazardous to life, safety, and morals.

Children are living  or fending for themselves in the streets,.

Children belonging to an indigenous cultural community, or living in extreme poverty.

Children are victims of natural or man-made disasters or calamity.

What comprises the program of services and facilities to protect children?

This refers to the following:

1. Child prostitution  and other sexual abuse.
2. Child trafficking.
3. Obscene publications and indecent shows.
4. Other acts of abuse.

The program should be formulated by the Department of Justice and the Department of Social Welfare and Development in coordination with other government agencies and the private sector.

WHAT ARE THE OFFENSES PUNISHABLE UNDER THE LAW?

These are the following:

1. Child Prostitution and other sexual abuse. Attempting to commit child prostitution.
2. Child Trafficking
3. Obscene Publications and Indecent Shows
4. Other acts of abuse not penalized under the Revised Penal Code
5. Prohibited Child labor.

When is a child deemed to be exploited in prostitution or other sexual abuse?

Children male or female who perform sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct, for money or any other consideration or due to coercion or influence of any adult or group are deemed exploited in child prostitution or other sexual  abuse.

What are the specific offenses in committing Child Prostitution and other sexual abuse?

The following acts are punishable offenses:

1. Promoting, engaging in, facilitating, or inducing child prostitution which include the following: a) Acting as procurer of child prostitute; b) Inducing a person to be a client of a child prostitute; c) Taking advantage of influence or relationship to procure a child as a prostitute; d) Threatening or using violence against a child to engage him or her as a prostitute; e) Giving money or any other consideration or benefit with the  intent to engage such child in prostitution.
2. Committing the act of sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct with the child exploited in prostitution or subjected to other sexual abuse.
3. Deriving profit or advantage as manager or owner, of the establishment where child prostitution takes place.

What is the penalty?

For offenses number 1-3 above, the penalty is reclusion temporal medium to reclusion perpetua.

If the child exploited is below 12 years of age, the offender shall be charged of rape under Articles 335 and 336 as the case may be, of the Revised Penal Code.

What is the offense of attempting to commit child prostitution?

There is an attempt to commit child prostitution when any person, who not being a relative of the child is found alone with the said child inside the room or cubicle of a house , inn, hotel, motel, pension house, apartelle or other similar establishments, vessel or vehicle or any other hidden or secluded area, under circumstances which would lead a reasonable person to believe that the child is, or about to be, exploited in prostitution.

The same offense is committed when any person is receiving services from a child in a sauna parlor, or bath, massage clinic, health club or other similar establishments.

Penalty is lower by two degrees of the prescribed penalty for child prostitution.

What is the offense of Child Trafficking?

Child Trafficking is the act of engaging and dealing with children including the act of buying and selling a child for money or any other consideration or barter.

Penalty is reclusion temporal to reclusion perpetua.

What is the offense of attempting to commit Child Trafficking?

There is attempt to commit Child Trafficking in the following cases:

1. When a child travels alone to a foreign country without valid reason, without clearance from the DSWD or written permit or justification from the child’s parents or legal guardian.
2. When a pregnant woman executes an affidavit of consent of adoption for a consideration.
3. When a person, agency, establishment or child caring institution recruits women or couples to bear children for the purpose of child trafficking.
4. When a person engages in the act of finding children among low income families, in hospitals, clinics, nurseries, day care centers or other child caring institution, who can be offered for the purpose of child trafficking.

  Penalty is two degrees lower than the penalty for Child Trafficking.

What is the offense of Obscene Publications and Indecent Shows?

It is the act of hiring, employing, using, persuading, inducing or coercing a child,  A) to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in video, B) to pose or model in obscene publications or pornographic materials, C) to sell or distribute the said materials.

Penalty is prision mayor medium period.

If the child used as performer is below 12 years of age the maximum period shall be imposed.

A parent, guardian, or person entrusted with the care and custody of the child used in the committing the offense shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor medium.

What constitutes other acts of child Abuse?

1. This is committed by any person who commits any other acts of child abuse, cruelty, or exploitation or conditions prejudicial to the child’s development but not covered by the Revised Penal Code. Penalty is prison mayor.
2.  Any person who shall keep or have in his company a minor 12 years or under, or who is 10 years or more his junior, in any public or private place, hotel, motel, beer joint, discotheque, cabaret, pension house, sauna or massage parlor, beach or other tourist resort or similar places. Penalty prision mayor and fine of P50,000.00.
3. Exception: Relatives of the minor within the 4^th civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.
4. Any person who shall induce deliver, or offer a minor to anyone prohibited to keep or have in his company a minor. Penalty is prison mayor medium and fine of not less than P40,000.00. If the perpetrator is the ascendant, step parent or guardian of the minor, penalty is prision mayor and fine of not less than P50,000.00.
5. Any person, owner, manager, or one entrusted with the operation of any public or private place who allows the commission of this offense described in number 2.
6. Any person who shall use, coerce, force, or intimidate a child to: A) beg as a means of living, B) act as conduit or middleman in Drug Trafficking, C) conduct any illegal activity.

EMPLOYEMNT OF CHILDREN

Can children be employed?

Children below 15 years of age shall not be employed.

Exceptions;

1. When the child works directly under the sole responsibility of his parents or legal guardian provided the child’s employment does not endanger his life, safety, health and morals.
2. When a child’s employment or participation in public entertainment or information through cinema, theater, radio or television is essential, provided that the employment contract is concluded by the child’s parents or legal guardian and approved by the Department of Labor and Employment.

The use of children as models in all commercials or advertisements promoting alcoholic beverages, intoxicating drinks, tobacco, and violence is prohibited.

Penalty is fine of not less than P10,000.00 or imprisonment of not less than 3 years or both at the court’s discretion.

CHILDREN IN SITUATIONS OF ARMED CONFLICT

Children are considered zones of peace, as such they :

1. Shall not be the object of attack and protected from threat, assault, torture or cruel or inhumane treatment.
2. Shall not be recruited to become members of the Armed Forces or its civilian component,  or other armed groups nor be allowed to take part in fighting or used as guides, couriers or spies.

In case of armed conflict children shall be given priority in evacuation.

Any child arrested during armed conflict is entitled to the following rights:

1. Separate detention from adults.
2. Immediate free legal assistance
3. Immediate notice of arrest to parents.
4. Release on recognizance of the DSWD.

In case of violation of this law who is the proper party to file the complaint?

These are the following:

1. The Offended party .
2. Parents or guardian.
3. Ascendants or collateral relatives within the 3^rd degree of consanguinity
4. Officer or social worker or representative of the child caring institution.
5. Officer or Social worker of the DSWD
6. Barangay Chairman
7. Responsible citizens.

A child victim may be placed under the protective custody of the DSWD.

CONFIDENTIALITY RULE.

At the instance of the offended party his or her name may be withheld from the public until the court acquires jurisdiction over the case.

It shall be unlawful for broadcast and print media to cause undue and sensationalized publicity of any case of violation of this law which result in the moral degradation and suffering if the offended party.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND GOD BLESS YOU.

                                                                                                       

THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS

Every year the Christian world celebrates the Lent. It is a solemn religious observance, in the liturgical calendar of many Christian denominations  which begins on Ash Wednesday, and covers a period of six weeks culminating on Easter Sunday. The Roman Catholic Church, the Reformed, the Lutheran Church, the Anglicans, the Methodists and  some evangelical churches observe the Lenten season as a long held tradition. It has been so ingrained as a religious tradition, that the ritualism has overshadowed the real meaning and significance of Lent, in the Biblical sense. 

The Message of the Cross, is the heart of the celebration of the Holy Week. The Message of the Cross of Christ is to most of us an old Message in the sense that the tradition is repeated year after year, but no matter how old it is, it remains a life transforming message.

As Christians perhaps we need to revisit the message of the cross of Christ with a fresh new look, and imagine ourselves standing on that hill, where our savior died that dark Friday. 

The Message of the Gospel of Christ could be found there and we need not look elsewhere.

My friends as we gaze at the forlorn figure of the Christ on the cross it is my hope that you too will embrace Him as Lord and Savior.

The great Saint and Apostle Paul of Tarsus, spoke  succinctly of the Gospel message, which the whole Christendom is observing today. 

He said,  “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1–4).

The message of the cross of Christ is clear and simple. There is no need for us to go into theological or philosophical studies to grasp it.

St. Paul said there are three important things which we need to think in the gospel message. 

First, the Man on the cross “died for our sins.” We are all sinners. As Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

When we speak of sin there is no difference! No difference between the corporate lawyer, the drug dealer, the rapist, or the judge. No difference between a rich politician, a bank robber, or refined graduate of the Ateneo. And no difference between a gangster or an upright member of Rotary or Sto. Nino Parish.  

Apart from the grace of God poured forth at the cross, we would all be going to hell.

The reality of sin needs to be acknowledged by all who approach the throne of God for salvation. A sinner must acknowledge the hopelessness of his guilt before God in order for forgiveness to take place, and he must understand that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Without this foundational truth, no gospel presentation is complete.

Second, the person and work of Christ are indispensable components of the gospel. Jesus is both God (Colossians 2:9) and man (John 1:14). Jesus lived the sinless life that we could never live (1 Peter 2:22), and, because of that, He is the only one who could die a substitutionary death for the sinner. Sin against an infinite God requires an infinite sacrifice. Therefore, either man, who is finite, must pay the penalty for an infinite length of time in hell, or the infinite Christ must pay for it once. Jesus went to the cross to pay the debt we owe to God for our sin, and those who are covered by His sacrifice will inherit the kingdom of God as sons of the king (John 1:12).

Third, the resurrection of Christ is an essential element of the gospel. The resurrection is the proof of the power of God. Only He who created life can resurrect it after death, only He can reverse the hideousness that is death itself, and only He can remove the sting that is death and the victory that is the grave’s (1 Corinthians 15:54–55).

And finally my friends, please ponder on this: Unlike all other religions, Christianity alone possesses a Founder who transcends death and who promises that His followers will do the same. All other religions were founded by men and prophets whose end was the grave.

The  Christ  who died on that cross whom we venerate Lent after Lent offers His salvation as a free gift (Romans 5:15; 6:23), that can only be received by faith, apart from any works or merit on our part (Ephesians 2:8–9).

As the apostle Paul tells us, the gospel is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). The same inspired author tells us, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

God Bless all of you my dear friends.

Love and Time

Love and Time: A Love Story

Once upon a time, there was an island where Love,  Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, Riches, Vanity, and all of the other virtues, including Time, lived.

One day it was announced that the island would sink, so all built boats and left, except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Riches was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Riches, can you take me with you?"

Riches answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful boat. "Vanity, please help me!"

"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you."

"Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an old woman. Love was so overjoyed,  felt so blessed. When they arrived at dry land, the old woman went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the old woman, but forgot to aske her name  Love asked Knowledge,  "Who Helped me?"

Knowledge answered, “It was time.”

"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

-Ecclesiastes 11:5

There are deep and mysterious things that we do not know. God has given man a mind that is powerful and creative, and yet there are many  things which are unfathomable. There are mysteries which give us cause to wonder. 

Before man could become proud of his achievements  and knowledge, God reminds him that he even does not know the path of the wind. He does not know where the wind will blow. Neither could man grasp the awesome wonder of  child bearing and child birth. He does not know how a baby is formed and grows in the mother’s womb. He does not know what God is doing and how God created everything.

Man was not present when God laid the foundations of the earth; hanged the planets and the stars in the vastness of the  skies; decreed the boundaries of sea and land; created the springs of the seas and the recesses of the deep (Read Job:38)

Neither could man even fathom the mystery of his own mind  which is endowed with intelligence and understanding, to discover the revealed laws of nature, and harness them to his advantage.

Jeremy Taylor once said, “A religion without mystery must be a religion without God.”  

FOILS AND MISDEEDS

A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord.

-Proverbs 19:3

We have to admit that at times, we are predisposed to act foolishly. Man is apt to foils and misdeeds. 

This wisdom saying only states the obvious truth. It is man’s own folly, his own self-will, which overturns his way, blundering about in what he calls misfortune. We may have acted foolishly without thought of obeying God or waiting for His direction. The result could be trouble .   And when this happens we fret and blame the providence of God. We look at ourselves as unfortunate victims, refusing to admit any blame for the consequences of our foolish acts. Instead of accepting responsibility we fret and blame God for appointing the troubles which visit us.

The great St. Augustine said, “Say not thou it is through the Lord that I foil away;  for thou oughtest not to   do the things that he hateth. Say not thou He has caused me to err; for he hath no need of the sinful man.”

The same thought is expressed in more poetic verses by the great Alexander Pope:

“Perverse mankind! whose wills, created free,

Charge all their woes in absolute decree;

All to the dooming gods their guilt translate,

And follies are miscalled the crimes of fate.”

“You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

-Ezekiel 34:31

The 23^rd Chapter of the Book of Psalm is the most well known and familiar of the Psalms. It declares that God is our Shepherd. This is an easy image to conceive, more so, because of the idyllic agricultural setting in which it is portrayed. In societies where sheep, goats, or herds are raised, it is not hard to know the role of the shepherd and the pastoral care he discharges in taking care of his flock.

In the Book of Ezekiel, this imagery is reiterated. God proclaims to His people  that they are His sheep, the sheep of His pasture, His flock, His human flock.

In the pasture land, we know that the shepherd takes care of the sheep. Shepherding is no ordinary work or occupation. The Shepherd has to account for all the sheep. He would seek out those which go stray or wayward and bring them back to the fold. He would protect the flock from predators and wild animals, and would even risk his life in defending them. The shepherd tends the flock bringing them to feed in good land where there is abundant grass to graze and water to drink.

This picture painted by the Prophet Ezekiel showing God’s people are His flock is a great message. Here we see the nature of God as loving, caring, patient, vigilant, forgiving, generous, and most of all our savior and deliverer.

ALTARS

Everyone has an altar. It can be visible or invisible, holy or profane, elaborate or ordinary,  but it’s always there. It can be based on ideologies, dreams or simple pleasures, but we can always find a foundation . We have to. Everyone’s life needs to revolve around something.

Because everyone has an  altar, everyone brings offerings. Some people offer their bodies  to people and  pleasure. Others offer their minds to areas of study. Still others offer their emotions to a trend of the day or a relationship of the month. We can offer finances to gods of materialism, and exploitation,  time to gods of entertainment  and apathy and talent to gods of fame and fortune. 

We have no shortage of gifts to bring to our altars. All human beings are drawn to a cause even if the cause is themselves…In a world  of false altars, the only way God can establish true praise in His people is to break down His rivals. His Word calls that “Refining.” We call it pain.  

-Chris Tiegreen

LIVING SACRIFICE

“Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshiping him in the right way. 2 Don’t live the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect.”

-Romans 12:1-2  (New International Reader’s Version)

St. Paul in his exhortation to the Christians in Rome pleaded  that according to God’s mercies they should offer their bodies, dedicate their entire human faculties  as living sacrifice. The significance of this statement is surpassing. We know that the sacrifices offered by the Jewish priests would require the slaying of the animal sacrifice. The animal sacrifice dies. 

In contrast the Apostle says that the believers should offer sacrifice, as well,  by  presenting their bodies. The difference is that their physical bodies and the entirety of their personality, would be living sacrifice. Their bodies as living sacrifice would be devoted,  consecrated, and pleasing to God. 

The kind of living sacrifice spoken of by St. Paul is when we bring ourselves before God to worship Him. To present ourselves before God, to serve Him as a people set apart and sanctified  for the purpose of spiritual service.

The great Apostle continues by saying that believers should not be shaped or fashioned by this world or the ways of this world. They should not think the way the world thinks, instead, let their minds be changed and renewed in a new way of thinking. A person having a renewed mind is no longer worldly. His mind is transformed by God’s grace. He  sees differently, his desire is to follow spiritual  direction, which, in the eyes of the world may seem foolish or senseless.

The Apostle seems to imply that a man who has not been renewed or transformed in his way of thinking is carnal, so he may not be able to discern what is the good, and acceptable perfect will of God. Therefore, he may not be able to present himself as a living sacrifice.                    

COME FORTH AS GOLD

“But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth  as gold.”

-Job 23:10

The suffering servant Job went through the fire of testing which perhaps no man has ever experienced. He was driven to question God about his sufferings. In the darkness of his pain, he wanted some explanations. His wife saw no glimmer of light in this darkness that she urged Job to curse God and die. And yet Job held on to that last straw of hope. God will not abandon him. In the end his true character had shined forth like gold. All the impurities had been removed by the fiery fire of testing and what remained of his faith and of his life was pure, unadulterated gold, precious and pleasing to God.

THE ONE WHO LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN

From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth- he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

-Psalm 33:13-15  (New International Version)

Mankind today seem to be generally oblivious to the fact that there is One supremely greater and higher who governs this world. God is in control of life’s events even though we may not be aware of it. Man has been too focused on his capacity to achieve everything, transcending limitations, and trusting in his potentials. 

Man’s success in the world’s progress deludes him to believe he doesn’t need to appeal to God in the way he lives. He doesn’t fear nor stand in awe of the God of creation, and some even deny that God exists.

The Psalmist  declares in no uncertain terms that God is looking down from Heaven seated in His glorious throne. He sees the whole human race. We can only marvel at what is implied in this vision. 

God looks at the entire human race, and  nothing is hidden from His sight. Man may think he has been let alone to pursue his own devises, but God knows everything. The Almighty orchestrates the events and the seemingly unrelated circumstances by the counsel of His own will. He oversees all things.   He observes from His heavenly throne all who live on earth and   the things  they do.

Man may think he is in control. Rulers and government leaders may think they are in control in running the affairs of their nations. It only seems that way. God’s sovereignty is real. No one can thwart His plans. Reduced to the miniscule we are like ants in the sight of God, which march to and fro, and He sees what we’re up to.   

REVEALED TO CHILDREN

At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and  for revealing them to the childlike.

-Matthew 11:25

The Lord Jesus Christ made an interesting statement in this passage in Matthew. He praised the Father for keeping and hiding His word to the wise and the learned of this world. Instead, the revelation of God’s word was given to little children.

God’s word is unlike any other. A person may be wise, learned or highly intelligent. He may be an intellectual and well educated,  but God’s word has no attraction to him because he absolutely lacks spiritual illumination. For this reason God’s word is hidden from him. His heart does not have the light of the Holy Spirit. His eyes is closed and cannot see the wonderful things from  God’s law.( Psalm 119:18)

The learned and the intelligent may be proud of his intellectual abilities and capacity to know and gain understanding. He feels superior and relies upon human reasoning and rational thinking. He is, however, bereft of spiritual discernment from the Holy Spirit. This man’s heart is not spiritually attuned to receive God’s truth, so that everything seems nonsense to him. This man does not possess the childlike humility to trust God and receive His word. 

God’s word was instead revealed to children. Who are these children? They are those who possess childlike qualities; who come humbly and trust God like a child.

THE FARMER'S PATIENCE

“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.”

-James 5:7 (New International Version)

Patience is a godly virtue which is very hard to achieve in this age where everything is quick and fast. We push buttons and get quick results.  We eat fast-food served in less than a minute. We go to places with speed. We hate it when we are made to wait. We discard gadgets which are slow and replace them with the latest versions which are faster or fastest. Waiting is a torture for some. We are short tempered as we are impatient.

The Apostle James seems to be a man who has practically learned about patience. He understands the discipline of waiting. In the art and discipline of waiting we learn  patience. “Be patient,” James said, “as you wait for the coming of the Lord.”

Waiting is not a useless, waste of time.  It may be viewed as passive but actually it is active, for in the course of waiting something is happening, which will bear fruit at the right time. To the believers the coming of the Lord is the most awaited event. They do not know exactly know, when, but they observe and wait for the signs and the seasons, and are assured that the Lord’s coming is certain. It would take a lot of patient waiting to welcome His arrival. This is the hard part.

The good Apostle gives the analogy of a farmer who waits for the coming of the harvest. This is how we are to wait for the Lord. The farmer cannot possibly speed up the harvest of his crops by pushing buttons. He needs to wait and allow the crops to grow, mature; waiting for the changing of the seasons until they are ready for harvest. He expectantly waits and allows time to do its work. He keeps up his patient vigil over the crops waiting for the sun and rain to their work. Through  this  patient waiting and expectation the precious harvest comes at the right time.

The Lord teaches us to wait patiently.

On the other hand, the world drives us to restlessness and hurrying in a mad rush of meaningless existence.

The choice is ours.

SACRIFICE OF RIGHTS

“If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a spiritual harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?  But we did not use this right. On the contrary we put up with everything rather than hinder the cause of Christ.”

-1 Corinthians 9:11-12

The legal system based on democratic principles is protective of individual rights. When the law guarantees a certain right one may claim enforcement or invoke protection of such right. The system of justice is rights based. Controversies would involve the assertion and enforcement of a right against a violation or invasion of such right. The law guarantees entitlement. We all have a natural sense of entitlement.

The Apostle Paul, himself a brilliant lawyer,  a Pharisee, in his discourse referred to a particular right to which he was entitled under the (Jewish) law. He said that under the religious law, he who preached the gospel, those who served in the Temple have the right to be supported and provided with their needs from the offerings in the altar. This was a legal right.

But the Apostle said   that as a servant of God he did not use any of these rights. He refused to claim entitlement to this right for the cause of Christ. He did not want this right to be a burden which would hinder the advance of the Gospel. He would instead make sacrifices and give up certain rights for the cause of the Gospel.

Very few people, if not hardly anyone, today have the same attitude as  St. Paul had. We cannot suffer being wronged. We cannot sacrifice our rights; we demand justice. The law gives us a sense of entitlement. It is hard indeed to deal with opposing rights and clashing interests. But where there is humility,  and self sacrifice there is peace.

This great Apostle speaking to the believers, said, “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged?  Why not rather be cheated? “ (1 Corinthians 6:7)

This is one exhortation which is hard to swallow. But think about it.  Try to imagine if we do this. Judges might be driven out of work.