Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. English Standard Version (ESV)
Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. English Standard Version (ESV)
I'm sure you've heard someone say, "don't get mad, get even", and it doesn't stop there. We have plenty of examples in the Bible and through history of this "getting even" or "getting one up" on someone. You can go back to Jacob and Essau or back a couple of hundred years to the famous, or should I say infamous, Hatfield's and McCoy's.
Paul puts it forth in no uncertain terms, repay "no one" evil for evil. But the key words in the ESV here are "but give thought". All too often we are prone to react, quickly, without thinking about the ramifications of our actions or reactions. Elsewhere in the Bible we have heard "be quick to listen and slow to speak". (James 1:19). The One that we should be "quick to listen" most would be the Lord Jesus. Go back to the sermon on the mount for a blueprint on Christian living, and let the Holy Spirit guide you. Then you may be able to "do what is honorable" in the sight of God and man.
Verse 17 in The Message says "Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do." If "you've got Jesus in you, get along with everybody.
Romans 12:16-19
The Message (MSG)
14-16 Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.
17-19 Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."
No comments:
Post a Comment