THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 5:38-42
“Do not resist an evil person.” (Matthew 5:39)
Jesus is using specific examples to illustrate a general principle.
Grace, not revenge, should be our motivating spirit.
Go overboard – or the extra mile – to be kind and helpful to all people.
Including an evil person, someone out to sue you, a bully or just someone asking for help.
No, not a doormat, but refusing to become LIKE them in their meanness.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
This is how God helps us, and how He wants us to help others.
Our problem is that we usually see others sins as worse than ours.
We think that God forgave us less than we think we have to forgive someone else.
We don’t see ourselves as ‘the evil person’ that God turned His cheek for.
But this is what Jesus did for you and me and everyone else.
Somehow we need to develop the mindset that every person desperately needs grace.
That the ONLY way to end evil is to overcome it with goodness.
This is not being passive, this is being active, aggressively good.
The Lord wants to tip the scales of good over evil, also through me.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, only Your Spirit can produce this kind of grace in me. I do not have it in me. But You have it in You, and I have You in me. Strengthen me in Your love.