PAY BACK INSULTS WITH BLESSINGS AND ENJOY LIFE
These verses (8-12) in the third chapter of Peter call us to a God honoring standard of responding to those who do evil or insult us. Our typical first step is to react and give back the very evil or insult that was given to us. At least that way we don't let them feel they got the best of us and that if it is to happen again, they would know a mouthful is coming back.
Speaking of the mouth, that seems to get us in trouble in our reactions and shows up with what verse 10 says about keeping our tongue from speaking evil and our lips from speaking lies. We are responsible for our reactions no matter how we have been treated. Thus God is calling us and will reward us for paying back blessings when mistreated.
How is this working in your life? Has anyone done evil against you or spoken insults about you?
If you have suffered in the past, have you been able to resolve that hurt so that you are not repeating the cycle - paying back evil for evil and retaliating with an insult to those who have insulted you?
Does this admonition from Peter seem impossible and unrealistic?
As was shared in the sermon, planning ahead is a huge benefit for when the "out-of-nowhere" kind of strikes come our way. We do not know when a nasty persecution or challenge may come but we can prepare in advance for how we want to respond.
Read again the prayer that was written based on these verses and ask the Lord to plant this in your life for future application. Who knows, evil and insult may come your way this week.
Blessings on your week, and again, read over and have close at hand this prayer so that your faith is strengthened for any and all persecution.
Lord,
I don’t know why this evil or insult has come into my life and to be honest, it is not very enjoyable or encouraging.
There must be some reason for it in my life or in the life of the person who did it to me. I don’t understand and I may never know but one thing I do know – you do not want me to repeat the cycle by repaying evil for evil and you do not want me to retaliate with insults when people insult me.
What you are calling me to do and you will bless me for it, is to pay back evil and insults with a blessing. I am not exactly sure how to do this but I want to enjoy life and see many happy days so I am going to keep my tongue from speaking evil and keep my lips from telling lies. I am turning away from evil and I will do good which is all about searching for peace and working to maintain it.
I want your face to shine upon me, for your eyes to watch over me and for your ears to be open to my prayers so please take my life and let it be committed to your ways.
I will continue to uphold our church to be of one mind where we sympathize with each other, love each other as brothers and sisters, where tenderheartedness and compassion abound and we maintain a humble attitude.
I restate it again - it is my desire is to pay back insults with blessings and enjoy life.
Amen
7 comments:
As with many things in life - insults, bullinging, even standing up in what you believe in can be very difficult in the moment. We pray for the person who is doing the tormenting, the victim, and also for justice - as the attage of sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me - is very untrue. I love the prayer and wish we could have in printed into "wallet cards" to carry with us - to hold onto when the evil and insult has come into our lives. Paying back with blessings is a wonderful way to handle things - but is it always practicle without support of not only God - but of those you care about around you?
Your comments are right on. And a wallet size version would be good. I could use one of those too.
The added support like you mentioned is probably the reason we need to respond and not react. Responding takes longer and usually requires some talk time with the Lord and with the wise counsel of others.
Easier said than done.This is where you walk the talk,and we really need the lord's help to do it.It is so much harder when we try on our own and i beleive the Holy Spirit wants to help us if we only ask Him.
I was really convicted by the sermon on Sunday. I have to admit that I have not been hurt a lot by others -- God has been very good to me that way. But within the span of a few months in 2009-10, I was crushed by not one, not two, but three unrelated and significant back-stabs by people who I thought were good friends. I'm still struggling with it all, 1½ years later. I know I need to forgive and repay the hurt with a blessing. But wow, is it ever hard to suck it up and put into practice! And it's made even more complicated when the other person cuts off all communication. Anyway, lots to think about on this issue. Healing can't start until one forgives, that's for certain.
When I was in grade 2...1968, two girls began bullying me and continued all the way through grade 12 (1978)I didn't know why, my mom said just ignore them, my friends protected and supported me. As an adult I have frequently shared my experiences with the teens I worked with. Sometimes how we are treated by others makes no sense at all, and that makes it difficult to know how to respond. And even if we know what is the right thing to do, it is so hard to do it with the hurt feelings we have. Ignoring worked in the moment, my friends never let them get too close to me, but my feelings have remained hurt all these years...43 years. Last week I received this message via facebook: "I’d like to apologize for my ignorance towards you when we were in school together. I was jealous and insecure, but that really is no excuse. I’ve always known right from wrong. Too bad I didn’t always practice that philosophy. Again, my sincere apologies. I hope life is good to you!" -- I may not have prayed for her, but I am certain that someone did somewhere along the way. I hadn't realized until I read her message to me that I had forgiven her. When? I don't know. What I do know is I didn't do it on my own... I am thankful that God works in our lives even when we don't realize it.
Live in harmony with one another.
Be sympathetic.
Love as brothers/sisters (family).
Be compassionate and humble.
Do not repay evil with evil, or insult with insult..but with blessing.
I was called by God to honor this. So I must commit to try and live my life accordingly. Being blessed by God is the ultimate reward..so much better than chocolate lol ;)
People also hurt one another without intent. I have done that and it has ruined me for friendships. I will never allow myself to be that close to anyone - nor let them inside of my walls either. Hurt can be redirected in both directions. Some pain will never be healed - even with time. I work and pray for it every day - but I know I will not allow it to happen. Forgivness and asking for it was a big step - but I know I will never have a close friend again for fear of untentionally hurting them, and thus causing pain not only for me - but my whole family. Until you see that sadness in someone else's eyes, or in your child's eyes because of something you have done - you would never understand.
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