Do Not Return Evil For Evil

May 13, 2022

Devotions:

““Your ancestors have also been taught, ‘Take an eye in exchange for an eye and a tooth in exchange for a tooth.’ However, I say to you, don’t repay an evil act with another evil act. But whoever insults you by slapping you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. If someone is determined to sue you for your coat, give him the shirt off your back as a gift in return. And should people in authority take advantage of you, do more than what they demand. Learn to generously share what you have with those who ask for help, and don’t close your heart to the one who comes to borrow from you.”” ‭Matthew‬ ‭5:38-42‬ ‭TPT‬‬

If you repay evil for evil then you are no better than those who did evil to you. When you return evil for evil it causes the problem to escalate until it is not repairable. The goal is to walk in love and thus walk in unity with each other. When we do this we honor each other and thus we honor God. Every human being was created in the image and likeness of God. We have been marred by sin but some of the image remains. When we know that God is our source, He is generous and freely gives to His children, then we can give generously. In doing this we are acting like Him. If we are not living generously with others then we really do not believe that God is generous with us. We are really questioning His love for us. Jesus bore our sins upon Himself and paid the full price for those sins in order to restore us back to Him so should we bare the injustice of others toward us to demonstrate God’s love for them and to them.