The Word To Live By: 1-22-26
Phil Waggoner
See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. 1 Thessalonians 5:15
The Word To Live By: This sounds a lot like, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And treat others the way you want to be treated, (Matthew 22:38-40). That’s not always the easiest thing to do when you are confronted with someone who is bent on doing you harm, physically or emotionally. This is what I know: God’s ways might not always be easy, but they can always be trusted. Proverbs 17:14 says, “The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.” In Romans 12, the chapter about not being conformed to this world but being transformed by the renewing of your mind, says in verses 17-21, “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. (You can respect someone’s opinion without agreeing with it or violently disagreeing with it.) If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him drink; for in doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Because of the context of those verses, that tells me several things. First repaying evil for evil, taking vengeance and revenge is a worldly response. Second, by logic, the opposite - not repaying evil for evil, not taking revenge, is a godly response. And both of these actions are a decision you make with your soul. Third, your evil actions can overcome you and your good actions can overcome evil. I am in no way saying you have to stand there and take abuse; walk away if you can. Again, God’s ways might not always be easy, but they can always be trusted. When you choose unforgiveness, hate, worry, fear, and bitterness will likely take root. But when you choose forgiveness (even though you might need to consider new boundaries), love, peace and reconciliation can flourish. This is what I know personally, Jesus repaid my evil with extreme mercy, leaving me free to conquer evil with good. To honor that sacrifice, I need, to the best of my ability, to treat others the way He treated me. My pride will not stop me from this.
Read through the Bible in a year: Luke 17; Genesis 29:1-30; Psalms 22;
Read through the New Testament and Proverbs: Proverbs 22, Matthew 11:16-30, Acts 22:
The sum of Thy Word is Truth Psalm 119:160