“Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”
This simple scripture (Romans 12:17a, New International Version (NIV)) reverberates with Godly wisdom and sound advice, and yet for many believers, it is one of the most difficult to put into practice. If you live long enough, no matter what your position or station in life, most assuredly, you will be hurt by another human being. When the hurtful act transpires, we are predisposed because of our old nature, to give in to a thirst for vengeance, that can only be quenched if we exact our revenge on the offender.
Inspired by Asian culture, many of us have adopted the practice of “saving face” which means to avoid embarrassment or humiliation and redeem one’s dignity. However, often in a misguided attempt to “safe face”, believers in Christ will ignore the principle of refraining from repaying evil for evil and seek the path of vengeance. Too often, the thirst for vengeance is rooted in misguided pride. The cost of getting even is often a broken relationship and needless acrimony. We have to always remember that even when we have been hurt deeply, God is all about restoration. This is clearly antithetical to our flesh. Our flesh says, “I aint going to let anybody take me for bad.” If we are going to be mature in Christ, we cannot adopt this thinking. More likely than not, the people who will harm us the most, will be fellow believers in Christ. When this happens and we know that we have been unjustly dealt with, we have to remember what God says in His word. Specifically, “if your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’” (Matthew 18:15-17, NIV). At this point, some of you have stopped reading. You do not want to confront the wrong doer in love because you simply want revenge and not restoration. Flesh does not want to do this. Flesh says, meditate instead on the edict that says, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Dear one, no matter the hurt, no matter the false accusation, the betrayal, God is concerned with healing and restoration and not getting even. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, leaves everyone blind and disfigured.” If you are struggling with the spirits of unforgiveness or revenge, reposition your thinking. Remember, even the one who wronged you is a soul and God commands us to be “kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love.” (Romans 12:10). Viewing the offender in this manner immediately puts us in the frame of mind to respond as Christ would have us. This will not always be easy, but you are an overcomer and can do all things through the one who strengthens you.
Elder Jerome Woods, II is the husband of Alana M. Woods and is the son of the late Jerome Woods, Sr. and Larina Woods. He is a Washington, D.C. native and associate Elder at High Calling Ministries pastored by George W. Hawkins, Jr. Elder Woods is a graduate of The George Washington University (1994) where he received his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with minors in Sociology and Latin Classical Humanities. Elder Woods received his Juris Doctorate in 1997 from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.
