1 Peter 3:9 Repay With Blessings

 

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9

Every day people insult or do something wrong, evil, to someone else. People can be mean and hateful to others on a regular basis. Some are violent, while others are not violent in action, but in words.

The reaction of most people is to strike back. It is common that the strike back is done in the same manner, violence for violence, bad words for bad words. Others may not strike the person directly, but talk badly about him to others, cutting him down in public.

The world believes that a person has the right to strike back in the same manner. They use evil to combat evil. In this they are just compiling sin upon sin. They are making the situation worse. It will usually continue to build, each person adding more to the fire.

God does not work that way. Jesus did not work in that manner when He walked on the earth. As Jesus was being whipped, beaten and nailed to the cross, He did not strike back physically or with words. He actually blessed the people asking God to forgive them.

Believers are to pour out blessings upon those who do evil to them. It does not matter if the evil was done intentionally or by accident. Giving a blessing, is showing love–God’s love to the person.

People will hurt others, both believers and non-believers, because that is the nature of man–to sin. Believers are to show love and compassion, not hate. They are to leave the vengeance up to God. They are not to return evil for evil or insult for insult.

There will be times when someone does evil to you or insults you. Before you react, think about how God has treated you when you insulted or did evil to Him. He showed you love and blessed you. Take that same blessing and pour it forward to another.

Do not allow yourself to fall into the trap the world has of repaying evil for evil. Do not allow yourself to fall into sin because of someone’s bad actions or words.

In the end God will bless you greater than getting revenge will ever help you. Live as Jesus lived, not as the world does.

I pray today that you will know the blessings God has given you; that you will be filled with God’s love for those who offend you; that you will give God’s blessings to those who hurt you; and that you will be a blessing to those around you.