Text:- Romans 12:17-21.
The key words in
this sentence are Never, Repay, Evil and Good. 'Never' means at no time, on no occasion, in no circumstance, not at any other
time, not at all. 'Repay' is to give in return, to give back, to do something for someone in
return of what he or she has done. It is to make a return in any way that may
be good or bad. 'Evil' is anything which impairs the happiness of a person or deprives them
of any good. Anything which causes suffering of any kind or injury or harm or
calamity to an individual. Evil is wickedness and it is injurious. 'Good' is
acting in the interest of what is beneficial, and it is free of distress or
pain. Good is pleasant and satisfactory for a purpose and it could be in form
of kindness.
What does the
Bible say?
Prov 20:22. Do
not say, "I will repay evil; Wait (expectantly) for the Lord, and He will
rescue and save you."
Mt 5:44. Jesus
said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute
you."
Rom12:17 & 21. "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is
right in the eyes of everyone. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good."
1 Peter 3:9. Do
not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil
with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a
blessing."
Brethren do not
repay evil with evil is mentioned not less than three times in the Bible and
this signifies emphasis. Therefore, you are admonished to not repay evil with
evil. As children of God, you must detest evil for evil because our Heavenly
Father and our Lord Jesus Christ detests evil. For example, the Lord makes His
sun to rise upon the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and the
unjust. Mt 5:45. Also our Lord Jesus Christ lived by example. He rejects
revenge and retaliation as depicted in Mt 5:39 when He said, "But I say
to you, do not resist an evil person (who insults you or violates your rights):
but who ever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other toward him also
(simply ignore insignificant insults or trivial losses and do not bother to
retaliate- maintain your dignity, your self-respect, your poise)." Even
when Judas betrayed Him with a kiss He just said "Judas you are betraying
the Son of Man with a kiss?" and His followers sensed what was going to happen,
and said "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" And one of them
struck the servant of the high priest who participated in the arrest of
Jesus by cutting off his ear. One would have expected Jesus to be
pleased with that act, but instead Jesus answered,"Stop! No more of
this!" And He touched the man's ear and healed him. Despite the fact
that it was during His arrest, He did
not return their evil plan with evil.
When He was being crucified by the Jews all He said was "Father,
forgive them; for they know not what
they do."Lk 23:34. Right at the height of His pain and agony, He still
prayed for His enemies. God, our maker and Jesus our Lord and saviour have shown us examples.
Let us consider
two characters in the Bible who did not repay evil with evil. David and Joseph.
David:-1 Sam 17-24.
David had a
great opportunity to repay king Saul's evil deeds but he did not. He had the
chance to take revenge from King Saul who desperately wanted to kill him when
he found him sleeping in a cave but he chose not to. David staked his life to
face Goliath the Philistine who was always terrorising the Israelites. David
being a small boy and not a warrior did not get the support of his brothers but
he went a head to face Goliath the giant. God gave him victory and he brought
down Goliath and even cut off his head. The king and the Israelites were happy
and pleased to the extent that the women went about singing and jubilating and
they sang thus "Saul has slain his thousands, and David, his tens of thousands."1 Sam18:6. This
did not go well with Saul, he was
greatly displeased and became angry for he thought they have credited
David with tens of thousands but him
with only thousands. He then concluded David will take over the kingdom of
Israel. This was the beginning of
David's problem with Saul. Saul planned to kill David at all cost and he
applied different strategies. He quarreled with Jonathan his son for being
friendly with David. He encouraged David to serve him bravely and to be
fighting battles with the intention that David will be killed by the
Philistines during the battle. When he knew his daughter Michal was in love
with David he was so pleased and he thought he could use that as a snare for
David so as to achieve his aim. Saul then demanded no other thing for the bride
price other than a hundred Philistines'
foreskins. His plan was that David will fall by the hands of the
Philistines. 1sam 18:25. But Alas! David went and
brought him two hundred foreskins of
Philistines. So David became his in -law. David kept going to battles and was
returning with success. Saul thought Michal her daughter would sell out David
but when she didn't, Saul was displeased with her and he rebuked her. Again
Saul ordered his guards to kill the priests of the Lord because Saul claimed they sided with David.1 Sam 22:17. He was
ready to destroy the city of Keisha when he learnt David was there so David had
to move out of Keisha on time. He went on and on with his men pursuing David with an intention to kill him. When he
went to relieve himself in a cave not knowing that David too was far back in
that cave, David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Though
David 's men thought it was an opportunity
for David to avenge but he
rebuked his men sharply and did not
allow them to attack Saul. So Saul left the cave unknown to him that David had
cut off a corner of his robe. David went out of the cave and showed Saul the
piece of the robe that he cut and said "See my father, look at this piece
of your robe in my hand! I cut off the
corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand
to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged
you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between
you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand
will not touch you." David knew very well that vengeance belongs to God.
So he handed Saul to God and did not repay his evil deeds with evil. After
David's speech Saul wept aloud and said "You are more righteous than I.
You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. You have just now told
me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you
did not kill me. May the Lord reward you well for the way you have treated me
today."1 Sam 24:16-18.
Saul realised
that he had done evil deeds against David but David did not repay him despite
the fact that he had the opportunity to do so. Brethren, you are admonished not
to take revenge, not to repay evil with evil but with good, just hand over
everything to God and allow Him to avenge for you.
Joseph:- Gen
50:15-21.
Joseph did not
repay his brothers with the evil they
did unto him despite the fact that he had the opportunity to avenge them for
selling him into slavery. When eventually they met in the land of Egypt, Joseph
treated them very well and made them very comfortable. He settled them and gave
them property in the best part of the land in the region of Goshen in Egypt
around where he lived. But after the death of Jacob their father, his brothers
were so distressed and anxious and thought that Joseph would repay them. His
brothers said "Joseph will per adventure hate us, and will certainly
require us all the evil which we did unto him." They went to him and fell
down before his face, and said behold, we be thy servants, Joseph said unto
them Gen 50:19-21, "Fear not : for am I in the place of God? You intended
to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done,
the saving of many lives. Now therefore
fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and
spake kindly unto them." Joseph being a governor then and being in charge
of many things in Egypt where his brothers came to search for food had a great
opportunity to avenge but he did not. He was so magnanimous and kind to them
even to their disbelieve. Brethren, let us
learn from Joseph how he managed the
situation and how he was able to overcome evil with good. If Joseph was able, you should be able to as well.
You may not
experience what David or Joseph experienced but you are admonished to give blessing
for a curse, a favour for a wrong, replace words that tear down confidence with
words that build others up, exchange careless words that hurt with words that
soothe and overcome the negativity that pushes people away, but become a well of
positivity that draws others in. Replace discouragement with encouragement,
hate what is evil and cling to what is good.
Beloved, you may
be wondering whether it is possible to repay evil with good always. By the
grace of God and by the help of the Holy Spirit it is possible. Ask God to grant you the grace to do good
always and ask the Holy spirit to teach you what to do at all times. Why you
should not repay evil with evil? Because:-
·
It is a command.
Rom 12:19. Mt 5:43-45.
·
It is divine. 1 Peter 3:17.
·
It is to proof that we
are children of God. Mt 5:9
Benefits of not
repaying evil with evil.
·
It preserves you from
evil.
·
You become an
overcomer.
·
Your act may influence someone
to turn from evil ways.
·
It makes you to conquer
evil and be victorious over sin.
·
God will rescue you and
save you.Pro 20:22.
·
You shall obtain mercy.
Mt 5:7.
Prayer:
Father, grant me
divine grace to be able to keep myself
in check and fill me more with your spirit so as to exhibit
godly character in all circumstances and never to think or consider
anything evil nor consider revenge.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
