We often feel like we have to get payback when someone wrongs us. However, this is not what we are taught by Jesus. Jesus teaches us that no matter how others treat us, we should treat them good. Listen to what He says in Matthew when He addresses the “eye for an eye” mentality.
Matthew 5:39
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also
Applying this teaching to our lives can be extremely hard to do. Sometimes it feels like someone does something just to upset you. Which it is possible that they could be. More likely though they are not. Whatever the case though, we must remember the name that we carry. We are no longer just some person. We are a person in Christ. People look at us and see the Church and Christ. They take your actions and use those to form opinions of the whole Church and of Christ. I don’t know about you, but I want that opinion to be a good opinion.
As Christians, we are called to be a light in the darkness of the world. We are called to be different. So in a situation where we feel wronged, our response should be based on kindness, love, and Jesus. Not the hurt and pain of the world. On TV shows and in movies, we are shown people taking revenge but that is now what we as Christians should be basing our lives on. Instead, we should look to the scriptures and verses like Matthew 5:39 or James 1:19:
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
What James is saying is that we should be quick to listen to what someone is saying. We should think before we speak and we should not immediately get angry. Many of us are guilty of not listening to what someone else is saying. Whether we think it does not matter or we think we know better.
Quick To Listen
I have a great example of this. The other day I was grocery shopping with my wife. I grabbed some cream of chicken soup, the condensed stuff. She tried to tell me that it’s not a soup that most people eat like normal soup. It is usually used as an ingredient in recipes. I told her that it’s just soup. Being the mature Christian she is, she dropped it and let me feel like I’d won.
Well, I was wrong. I opened the can at work a few days later and found something between a liquid and a solid, and strongly resembling cheap wet dog food. It was at that point I wished I had been quick to listen. After trying to eat it, I realized I really ought to listen to when my wife tries to tell me something!
Slow To Speak
I cannot begin to count all the times I have said something before thinking. I think most of us have done this. We say something and then realize that it was the completely wrong thing. If we had just spent a few seconds thinking, it would have worked out differently.
Slow To Anger
Getting angry seems to be very similar to both not listening and speaking without thinking. It is often caused by those things. We don’t listen to everything someone is saying and then we say something we don’t mean. This can cause them to get angry at us and then we get angry back. In order to help from falling into this routine again and again, we should pray to be able to do what James teaches.
So the next time you feel wronged, remember what Jesus and James have taught us. Don’t be mean to the one who wronged you. Instead, do good to them. Show them grace. Listen to what others are saying. Think before responding. Try not to get mad. Who knows, this person may be shocked by your actions and ask why you have been so kind. Giving you a chance to explain the love and grace God has shown to you.
Visit Justin’s personal website Here. Or see articles from other writers we feature Here. Also, be sure to stop by our prayer wall.