“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.” – Romans 12:17
When someone does us wrong, our first instinct is to hit back. But God commands us otherwise. He days we are not to repay evil for evil. For instance, don’t spread gossip about the person. Don’t “accidentally” scratch or dent their car. Don’t purposefully humiliate them before the boss. Whether big or small, control your actions.
But, there’s more to it than that: “Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.” It’s not just a matter of not doing evil to the person who wronged you … holiness is more than that. It’s about intentionally doing what is right.
God never lets us get away with simple avoidance. He doesn’t allow us to sit in apathy, and say, “Well, I didn’t do anything wrong …” He wants more from us. Holiness is dynamic. It’s passionate. It’s energized. Holiness involves actively doing the right thing in every circumstance.
--- What might be involved in “doing what is right” when you have been hurt?
--- Why is it so important to actively do the right thing when you have been hurt?
Do not repay evil for evil. Do what is right.