Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. 12. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
Not only does the Christian refuse to retaliate by action and words, but He also takes this positive step of repaying insult with blessing. To call down God's blessing even upon his enemies is a truly spiritually led individual. I haven't reached that point yet in my own life. There are times God reminds me how much He blesses me when I don’t deserve it. Then I know He isn’t done working with me yet.
Believers can bless people by loving them. They can give a blessing by praying for them and forgiving them. We have obtained blessings from God, not based on our performance or merit, but based on His love. When we are kind to others, even our enemies, it gives God another opportunity to bring them under conviction for salvation or for their attitudes.
I realized the best prayer for blessing is to seek to see an enemy be saved, repent of their sin and become brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Peter knew the injustices his friends were suffering. He knew the persecutions were unjustified, but that only the loving acceptance of personal abuse was strong enough to overcome the evil that prompts it. This is the only way that we will also inherit a blessing. The blessing comes from God, if we act the way we are supposed to act and not act the way we feel like acting. God delights in bestowing His favor on all who gladly obey Him, if not now then there is reward to come.
The passage Peter quoted was from Psalm 34. That was his Scriptures and it is also our Scriptures. David was fleeing Saul’s attacks. His desire was not to fight King Saul, but bless him and befriend him. He knew his heart was right before God. Even though Saul insulted him, sought to kill him, and persecute him, his desires was to respect his king as God’s anointed and not seek retaliation. As much as it depended in David, he sought peace with Saul. He would leave the results to the Lord.
God wants peacemakers in His church. God wants peacemakers in the workplace. God wants peacemakers out in the world; people who seek peace and work to maintain it. It takes a lot of spiritual maturity to be that kind of person.
Application: Seek a righteousness that models Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, help me to pray for those who hurt me and extend them love in Your name.
