LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Wednesday 23rd March 2022
DON’T RETURN EVIL FOR EVIL
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:1-12
Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
Our attitudes determine how far we go in life and how well we live our lives. The scriptures affirm that God has given us the power of choice. We have power over what we choose to do. Through the force of our will, our submission to God’s word and the moderating power of the Holy Spirit, we can respond to life positively. We can positively respond to negative things.
When you’re insulted, you can waste your energy thinking of ways to revenge, or you can choose the alternative – you can forgive and move on with your life. You can be like your Heavenly Father or you can be like the devil.
When people provoke us with wrong actions, we can exercise two options. We can either respond in the same way as their provocation or allow the Holy Spirit to inspire a righteous response from us.
Your boss may try to bully you, or sabotage your success, or take the credit for work you’ve done, and you may be tempted to try to get at him by doing the bare minimum. I have seen many employees who are so resentful of their employers that have gone to great lengths to calculate the very least they have to do. They allow their resentment to limit the expression of their potential and kill their spirit of excellence.
Even if the company you work for appears oppressive and insensitive, you must choose to go the extra mile. Go out of your way to treat everybody with kindness. If they are mean and resentful, you smile and pray for them. If they demand an extra hour, try giving them two. Do it with the spirit of joy and generosity of heart. If they try to break your spirit, just trust the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to remain firm. You may not be able to change them but you must never allow them to change you to become like them.
Don’t just respond to people’s actions against you in the same way as they acted. You are different. Choose your actions. Exercise the force of your will. Yield your mind to God’s will. Allow the Holy Spirit to moderate your actions.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I want to live as Christ did. Give me the grace to overcome evil with good. Amen.