Getting Even
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Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 4929 Revenge
In Greenville, Miss., a radar device set up in a speed zone quickly caught three persons. The first was Mayor Pat Dunne. He paid a $17 fine and commented, “The only way to avoid fines is not to speed.” The second person arrested was a policeman. The third was a local disc-jockey, who went to his radio station and broadcast the location of the speed zone.
Whenever we feel someone has wrong us in some way, our first intention is to seek some sort of revenge. It’s part of our human nature to want anyone who makes us suffer to suffer in return. We console and justify ourselves by claiming they had it coming. They desrved what they got. However, this is the exact opposite of how God says we should handle the situation.
16 Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.
Returning good for evil is one of the most difficult obligations a Christian has. Yet from Old Testament times, that has been God’s command to the godly person: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you” ().
The expression “heap coals of fire on his head” referred to an ancient Egyptian custom. A person wanting to show public they were sorry for something they did would carry a pan of burning coals on his head to symbolize the burning pain of his shame and guilt. When you love an enemy enough to truly strive to meet his needs, you hope to shame him for his hatred toward you.
In the same manner, Jesus says in ,
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
There is no better way to get back at your enemy than to help him see the wrongfulness of his actions by praying God will open
To avoid being overcome by the evil done to you, you must first not allow it to overwhelm you.
Remember that each and every one of us has done just as much and more to God, yet He was gracious enough to send Jesus to die for our sins and welcome all who believe into His family. Rather than getting even, or giving us our due, God sent Jesus to die for our sins even while we were still His enemies. That way, rather than hating your enemy, you will pity them since they are still either spritually struggling or spiritually dead..
Second, you must not allow your own evil responses to overpower you.
The Apostle Paul tells us that when we receive Christ, we are no longer the same person. We are a new creation with a new heart. Even when you are tempted to respond to evil with evil, rememebr who you are and who you belong to, and then seriously consider what Jesus would want you to do.
Let your response be controlled not by the desires of your flesh, but the desires of the Holy Spirit who dwells within you.
In either instance, the evil itself must be overcome by what is good