Scripture instructs us to do many things that go completely against our nature. Actions that stand in contrast to the culture of the world around us. One of the hardest to always put into practice is to bless the very people who curse us and to pray for those who mistreat us. If we are honest when people are mean, rude, or abusive to us we only want to see the same poured back upon them. In many cases, we want to be the very ones to inflict like treatment on them. But that is not what God’s word says we are to do in those circumstances. Instead, we are to bless them and pray for them. Or in other words, treat them how we would like to be treated.
Luke 6:27–29 (ESV)
27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.
Matthew 7:12 (ESV)
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
In many cases, the ways other people wrong us or even try to wrong us are minor. We get upset about a rude remark, getting cut off in traffic, or a myriad of different reasons that are in reality are not severe. Yet even in those circumstances, we find it hard to pray for those who we believe to have wronged us. Yet we are supposed to be the very people willing to forgive any trespass due to how much God has forgiven us. Willing to pray and bless those people hoping our righteous actions can point them to God.
Scripture gives us examples of people who were severely wronged yet still prayed for the one who wronged them. Take the man of God who prophesied against Jeroboam king of Israel. Jeroboam attempted to grab the man of God presumably to kill him. But in doing so lost control of his arm. Which caused him to beg the man of God to pray that movement would be restored. Many of us in that situation would think you have got to be kidding. You just tried to attack me with that very arm. No, I’m not going to pray that it will be restored you have got what you deserved. But the man of God responded righteously and prayed for the man who cursed and wanted to mistreat him.
1 Kings 13:4–6 (ESV)
4 And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. 5 The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. 6 And the king said to the man of God, “Entreat now the favor of the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” And the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it was before.
The greatest example we have to look to of a righteous life is our savior Jesus Christ. Who was cursed and mistreated in ways we cannot begin to imagine or understand. Ways that turn our stomachs when we see them portrayed in film. Yet, even after all he had suffered and while still hanging on a cross he did not return a curse upon anyone. Instead, he chose to bless and pray for them. Simply saying “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Luke 23:34 (ESV)
34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Scripture calls us to follow in the example of Christ and doing so includes offer prayer for everyone. Even those who have wronged us in any way big or small. The Bible even shows us a man who followed the Lord’s example perfectly. Stephen used his final breath to pray for the very people who were in the process of taking his life.
Acts 7:58–60 (ESV)
58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
It’s not easy to bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you. Really it’s not something we find ourselves wanting to do but these righteous men show that it can be done. Even when facing the worst circumstances imaginable. Like them, we need to put God’s word into action and return a blessing to anyone who we believe to have wronged us. An act that the Apostle Peter writes could result in a blessing in our own life.
1 Peter 3:9 (ESV)
9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
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