Christians are kind and honest.

The apostle Paul, in the second half of Romans, chapter 12, is giving signs of what a true Christian is, and how a believer lives (Romans 12:9-21).  The two qualities in this verse are essential to the Christian life.

Part 1, Christians are kind!

“Recompense to no man evil for evil.”
As believers, we are to be kind to our fellow men.  This quality was forefront in the life of Jesus.  His miracles bore out this truth.  In fact, in his whole life, the only times that we see Him get angry with people is when they were breaking his Father’s law, or harming others.

The idea of “recompense” in this verse is to pay back someone for something that they have done to you.  With children, and sometimes adults, we could call this the game of “hit last.”  This is a game that is played without any particular rules.  The goal is to get the last hit in.  When someone has wronged you, get even with him by hitting back, and harder.  You respond back–plus some extra, just to let them know that you will not let them get away with anything.  This is a very childish game and it can be played with fists or words, and it has no good ending.  The problem with this game is, we really don’t always know who to hit.  Or how hard to pound them, or if we really got the point across at all.  And really there are no winners.  All that’s left are upset people pointing their fingers at each other.

The Bible prohibits believers from participating in these sinful payback games.

“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men” (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

In fact, Jesus taught us to “turn the other cheek,” when wronged.

“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39).

Rather than looking to our own skill, strength, and wisdom to make a bad situation right, we turn to the Lord to do it for us.

“Say not thou, I will recompense evil, but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee” (Proverbs 20:22).

He always knows who needs the hit and how hard to do it.  He is still righteous and fair.  But He will fight our battles for us if we trust Him and let Him take care of the vengeance.

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19).

When we are wronged, here’s what we are to do, in the words of that great theologian Elsa, just “let it go!”

Come back tomorrow and let’s talk about how we believers are not only not playing hit last, but we are living honestly.