“Do not be overcome and conquered by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:21, AMP
This verse warns me not to repay evil with evil. Indeed, it does not follow that I must. I need not let evil overcome or conquer me. I am not at the mercy of my hurt emotions nor my sinful thoughts and desires. The Bible teaches me that the way to handle an evil that is done to me is to meet the enemy head on with good and not to pay them back in kind. In Matthew 5:44, NIV, the Bible instructs me accordingly, “But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
From these two Bible verses, we can glean that God loves us all, and likewise we can ascertain that He gives us all a chance to attain to eternal life. Because God loves each one of us, none of us is without hope or beyond His mercy, kindness, and protection. He forgives every one of us, and thus we must forgive one another as well and pray for each other. We are all His creation and His children made in His image and likeness. In this world we have not all been given the same chances, and we each have our own unique trials and tribulations, but in God’s eyes He does not see us one different from the other nor does He love one person more than the other. While this may be hard for us to contemplate since we can become angry with others for what they have done to us, we must consider that God sent His son Jesus Christ to die for every one of us because of His great love for the entire world. Therefore, because He loves us, He is there for all of us. Every one of us can count on Him as our loving Father in heaven willing to help us.
A further understanding of the Romans verse is found in Proverbs 25:21-22, AMP. While my own natural inclination might be to retaliate after I am injured by another, verse 21 of this Proverb states that, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink…” Verse 22 then tells me that by doing so I will, “…heap coals of fire upon his head…” This “heaping coals of fire upon another’s head” can cause the enemy to have regret and remorse for what they have done. It can cause them to ponder their actions and turn from further wrongdoing. By my positive action, God can use me to get my enemy on the right path. God can use me as an instrument for good. And the action of repaying evil with kindness instead of with evil also gives me the further promise in verse 22 that, “…the Lord shall reward thee.” In the secular vernacular, following God’s command turns this situation into a win-win solution.
Of course, we are not to allow ourselves to get used by others. Proverbs 4:23, NIV, reads, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” The same Bible scripture in the NIV translation reads, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” We must live with wisdom and discernment which we are commanded by God to ask Him for. We can use the wisdom and discernment God gives us to be careful about the situations we get ourselves into and likewise how we respond in all the circumstances of our lives. God does expect us to take care of and protect ourselves with His help.
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord.’” – Romans 12:19, NIV
This is another significant Bible verse for me, and it continues the train of thought we are discussing. God gives me direction on what to do when another injures me. If I feel and experience deeply the concept in this Bible verse, it can give me profound peace and calm in my life. As a believer of Jesus Christ, I need to take the lesson taught by this verse to heart. Leaving everything to God’s timing and justice is the only answer. The slights from others I experience in life can be many as I go about my daily living. And, again, my natural inclination might be to retaliate. However, I need to leave the situation in God’s hands and not take them into my own. No good comes if I retaliate. It can only drive a wedge deeper between me and another. God alone is all-knowing and all-powerful and knows hearts and thoughts.
In 1 Chronicles 28:9, NASB, I see that, “the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts.” And God cannot be fooled. Galatians 6:7-8, NIV, states, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:9, NIV, is also significant because it continues, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Our incentive for keeping our thoughts and hearts clean is clear when we consider that God in His wisdom rules us all with His all-mighty Hand. And as a good father, he will take care of the matter in His own good time.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” – Matthew 7:1-5, NIV
In Matthew 7:1-5 we find a good reason for not judging the one who has inflicted pain on me. Before I judge another, I must look at myself. I must see the faults in myself that I need to change. God is the only one who can judge as He is perfect and lacks nothing. Perfection is something I can never hope to attain to in this lifetime. And God will always be infinitely more perfect. Also, He is all-knowing and can see things as I cannot this side of heaven. The attribute of all-knowing is not one which I possess. I must render compassion to another for the circumstances that might make them do what they do. Verses 1 and 2 is clear about the consequences of judging another. I will be judged similarly. It is imperative that I leave the judging to God. In verses 3 through 5, I am warned to look at my own defects of character and not to concern myself with those I perceive in another. God tells me I have my own huge defects which I need to acknowledge and contend with before I look at what might be inconsequential ones in others compared to my own.
Someone else’s defects are none of my concern. Again, in the end, the most useful thing I can do is to pray for someone else. I must remember that God knows us all intimately. What someone else does in their life is between them and God. Ultimately, each person’s choices and behaviors are their own responsibility, and they will have to answer to God one day for them.
As I strive to develop my character to be more Christ-like, these verses help me to let go of the struggle and find rest in the Lord and in His Word. I do not need to do battle with everything I encounter in life. If there is to be a battle, then I must recall as 2 Chronicles 20:15, KJV, states that, “…the battle is not yours, but God’s,”. After I have prayed over the situations in my life and asked for God’s help with them, I can relax and leave things in His hands.
These scripture verses and their implication are significant in my life, and I pray to Almighty God to help me take them to heart. I struggle in my aim to forgive the other. I must watch for occasions where I want to act out of anger because I do not like what has been done to me. Or where I might be prone to judge another. I need to guard my heart against acting contrary to God’s will but instead act in accordance with the precepts in His Word. I must continue to pray for God’s wisdom, discernment, and direction in all instances of my life.
And just as I am learning to forgive others, I must remember that I need also to forgive myself as well for my own failings. God loves us, forgives us, and has made eternal life available to each one of us as evidenced by Jesus Christ’s suffering, death on the Cross, and His Resurrection three days later, all for our benefit. He has made the promises of forgiveness and eternal life to us all if we will only receive them and abide by His Holy Word the Bible. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
