1 Thessalonians 5:15 - Do what is good for each other
“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.” (NIV) “See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.” (NRSV)
Even though the apostle Paul wrote this letter many years ago to the church at Thessalonica, it still holds true today, because people essentially haven’t changed that much! We live in a harsh, sinful world, which is why we need Jesus! There will be situations when people hurt you, use you, maybe abuse you. Sometimes they may attack your personality and character; or at work they undermine the hard work you do. They may even publicly make you look foolish. Most of those times the enemy is behind their words and actions, because ever since the Garden of Eden, the devil has been trying to destroy Man’s peace and joy - by ANY means he can. It can be so tempting in those situations to try to seek revenge or to repay people wrong for wrong, but that is just not God’s way. We serve a God who IS LOVE and works through GRACE and MERCY.
Friend, the enemy will thoroughly encourage you to "get people back” because if you do, he can then mercilessly throw guilt on you ever afterwards to try to shame you and destroy your God-given peace. Do not let him win!
What better way to show the love of Jesus and refuse to let the enemy get the upper hand than to, as The Passion Translation puts it, “Resist revenge, and make sure that no one pays back evil in place of evil but always pursue doing what is beautiful to one another and to all the unbelievers.” (TPT) As Joyce Meyer says, “if you want to make the devil mad, just trust God to fight your battles for you and go about doing good.” It won’t be easy, but Jesus will help!
Friend, let God deal with people who hurt you in His own way. The enemy is just using them to distract you from your mission. Pray for them instead and then concentrate on being the wonderful person you are; keeping your peace, and focusing on YOUR walk with Your Heavenly Father.
PRAYER Father, when people hurt me, please help me to resist any temptation to “get them back”. Instead, help me to respond with love and prayer for them. Let my words be kind and my actions helpful. Help me not to respond selfishly, but to reflect the grace, love and mercy You have shown me. Help me to play my part in, “See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.” (NET) In Jesus’ name, Amen.
