Fear of punishment can be a great motivator.
We don’t want a ticket, so we slow down when we see flashing lights.
We file our taxes, on time, because we don’t want to go to jail.
Show up to work every day? Absolutely! We need that paycheck.
What about, however, when others do us wrong? The repairman overcharges us, the store clerk treats us with contempt, or our neighbor plays loud music late into the night?
What is our response supposed to be?
Romans 12:20 can be a hard verse to put into practice.
“To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
A-ha! Can it be that easy? Can kindness really wipe away the wrongdoing?
Let’s look at Psalm 78:38. We see God using this same method with his people.
“Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath.”
Did you catch that? God was compassionate. He restrained his anger. Wow! What a lesson for us!
Matthew 7:1-2 lays it out even plainer.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
This verse makes us take a step back to rethink our response. How loud do we want to yell about being offended? Do we want the same response from God when we wrong him? Ouch!
Yet, we have a consolation in Romans 8:1.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Even if we’ve messed up in following God’s plan of forgiveness toward others, we’re allowed a fresh start. We can determine that today’s the day we treat people differently.
Here’s how it’s done, summed up into nuggets of truth:
- Be kind to those who mistreat us.
- Restrain our anger.
- Refuse to judge others.
- Model our behavior after the example of Jesus.
When we get these down, when they become part of our everyday life skills, we will become the better person Christ wants us to be.
Forgiveness becomes natural when kindness and compassion are our goals.
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Code: FGO.A.19.19b.vp.esv