<\/p>\n
\nMatthew 5:39\u00a0 <\/span>But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span>Proverbs 20:22<\/b><\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0Do not say, \u201cI will repay evil\u201d; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span>Proverbs 24:29<\/b><\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0Do not say, \u201cI will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span>Romans 12:17-19<\/b><\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.\u00a0\u00a0If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.\u00a0\u00a0Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, \u201cVengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span>1 Thessalonians 5:15<\/b><\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span>1 Peter 3:9<\/b><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0Do 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.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u00a0<\/span>If\u00a0Matthew 5:38<\/span><\/a> were taken literally at all times, we would have to let everyone take advantage of us. Turning the other cheek would become an encouragement for evil. This isn\u2019t what Jesus had in mind. His vivid examples illustrate His disciples\u2019 need to give up any sense of entitlement to personal revenge, to be purged of the motivation of personal vengeance. By asking them to turn the other cheek, Jesus meant that His disciples should be motivated by love and a desire for the redemption and forgiveness of offenders\u2014even when opposing their actions. What Jesus asks of His followers is not passivity, but surrender of the right to personal revenge. His three radical examples make His point about the attitude we should have toward those who wrong us. Rather than getting even, we should be willing to go to the opposite extreme. We need to be ready to humble ourselves for the kingdom of God. We need to understand that vengeance isn\u2019t ours, but the Lord\u2019s. Defending against physical harm and injury is very different from revenge and the emotional satisfaction of perceived justice at our own hands. An insulting slap, harsh verbal attack, or slanderous accusations can cause us to fall into acts of vengeance out of anger and hatred. We must fight this desire to make someone suffer for the hurt they have verbally done to us.\u00a0 <\/span>This act of humbleness and humility will honor and glorify Jesus Christ.\u00a0 <\/span>The world would say we are justified in retaliation. God\u2019s Word says we are not – vengeance is His alone. Retaliation does not bring about peace. Vengeance does not show our love, trust, and reliance on Jesus Christ. Revenge is to deny forgiveness a place in our hearts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Defending from personal physical harm, defending the weak, protecting the widow and orphan are right and just. Protecting and defending out of love and not retaliation and vengeance. When the act of physical harm is being done or about to be done is when our act of defense is activated. Many times it can be done by simply turning away and fleeing the situation. Other times it requires physical intervention to protect self or others. Letting someone do physical harm to us or others would become an encouragement for evil. Living at peace with all men does not mean we allow physical harm to us or others to go undefended.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Let the Holy Spirit lead your thoughts of discernment in peace so that in all things we think, say, and do Jesus Christ is honored and glorified.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Matthew 5:39\u00a0 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. \u00a0Proverbs 20:22\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Do not say, \u201cI will repay evil\u201d; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you. \u00a0Proverbs 24:29\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Do not say, \u201cI will do … Continue reading “31.b. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God””<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[7928,312,10302,2222,164,15548,101,796,14977,328,2878,15547,2820,1602],"class_list":["post-135150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-prayers","tag-avenge","tag-bless","tag-cheek","tag-do-good","tag-evil","tag-give-thought","tag-honorable","tag-lord","tag-peaceably","tag-repay","tag-resist","tag-slaps","tag-wait","tag-wrath-of-god"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135150"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":135154,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135150\/revisions\/135154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayingpint.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}