Don’t Get Even, Get It Right

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘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)

It is always tempting to us to think about ‘getting even’ when someone does something that is wrong to you.  As in football, however, so happens in life; an opposing player gives someone on your team a cheap shot or a late hit, and your player retaliates with a punch or a push, and the referees throw the flag on your player for unsportsmanlike conduct, as that is what they saw – the retaliatory strike and not the one that precipitated it.  The retaliatory strike ends up costing more than the initial one.

In life, we may be slandered, ridiculed, shamed, or offended by our enemies (or worse, as is in the case of Job, our friends).  Our instinct is often to lash out and lash back; typically a proverbial ‘oh, yeah?’ followed by a ‘topper’ statement, a comment of what one believes is a far worse example upon the original accuser by the originally accused.  This ‘tit-for-tat’ exchange ends up making both parties looking petty and desperate. 

The offense can be worse than just petty banter, however.  Injury, theft, and worse can be afflicted.  Some look at Leviticus 24:17-18, and to paraphrase it is ‘an eye for an eye’, this is what some use as justification; the offense should be met with an equal offense.  In terms of consequences to actions, this is true; a person committing a crime should have a punishment that is equal to their offense.  That punishment or consequence is for the societal good; a judgement based on the rule of law to inhibit this type of behavior. 

For the victim, however, Jesus provides in Matthew 5:38-39 to turn the other cheek, to not be the judge to punish but to facilitate reconciliation, not necessarily between the victim and the perpetrator, but between the perpetrator and the Lord.  This is not just a ‘New Testament’ concept as this is covered in Proverbs 25:21-22, as well; help those who have harmed you.  Show your attacker the love of Christ, not for your sake but for theirs – show them who Jesus is.

As stated in yesterday’s Word-of-the-Day, this does not mean ‘meek’ equals ‘weak’ or to be a pushover.  We must stand our ground, stand on our principles, and defend our lives and reputations, and the lives and reputations of those we love.  How we respond afterward, though, is to forgive and provide the love of Christ so our attackers can be assured that they can approach and seek forgiveness from Jesus. 

A woman with her son, outside of Pittsburgh, was being interviewed by a reporter following her daughter’s murder, and the arrest of the man who did it.  Her son spoke first and talked about avenging his sister’s death, and would seek the murderer to suffer as his sister did.  His mother then spoke and said she was praying for the young man who murdered her.  When asked why, she said he likely did what he did because no one prayed for him before, and she would pray for him to repent and seek Salvation.  Her son was wrongly applying Leviticus 24:17-18, while the grieving mother was correctly applying 1 Peter 3:9 and Matthew 5:38-39.  Make sure not to ‘getting even’ like her son, make sure to ‘getting it right’ like his mother.