Evil for Good
Proverbs 17:13
If anyone returns evil for good,
evil will not depart from his house.
Wickedness is troubling in any form. Even so, there are degrees even for evil to climb. It is condemning to do mischief. It is wrong to take advantage of the innocent. But to return evil for good; to harm someone who has done you good – is it possible to sink lower?
The scam artist who takes money by posing to represent a charity or to be a person in need – that is wicked. He takes advantage, not merely of someone innocent, but of someone doing good. But to go a step further, to take advantage of a person who knows you, who has only been kind to you, and then to use that very kindness to take advantage of him – surely that is to sink to the lowest depths.
It certainly is an affront to God who will see that “evil will not depart from his house.” This is a statement of how greatly offended God is by such behavior.
And what is man’s position before God? He created man and blessed him; man in return turned against him. Even so, he continued to provide for man and by his grace give him many daily blessings. But man rebelled against him all the more, setting up false gods and giving to them the worship due God. Even so, God was patient. He sent prophets to reveal God and to teach what God wanted. But those prophets who themselves abused and murdered.
However much good God did, man returned it with evil. We are “man.” We are the guilty. But what have we received? Grace, mercy, the priceless gift of God’s Son, his very blood shed for us to pay for our guilt. Instead of evil never departing from our house, we have been given peace. And so, we who have moved from returning evil for good, let us move from returning evil for evil. Let us return good for evil that those who are wicked might be awakened to their sin and turn to God. It is no less than what God has done for us.
If anyone returns evil for good,
evil will not depart from his house.
Wickedness is troubling in any form. Even so, there are degrees even for evil to climb. It is condemning to do mischief. It is wrong to take advantage of the innocent. But to return evil for good; to harm someone who has done you good – is it possible to sink lower?
The scam artist who takes money by posing to represent a charity or to be a person in need – that is wicked. He takes advantage, not merely of someone innocent, but of someone doing good. But to go a step further, to take advantage of a person who knows you, who has only been kind to you, and then to use that very kindness to take advantage of him – surely that is to sink to the lowest depths.
It certainly is an affront to God who will see that “evil will not depart from his house.” This is a statement of how greatly offended God is by such behavior.
And what is man’s position before God? He created man and blessed him; man in return turned against him. Even so, he continued to provide for man and by his grace give him many daily blessings. But man rebelled against him all the more, setting up false gods and giving to them the worship due God. Even so, God was patient. He sent prophets to reveal God and to teach what God wanted. But those prophets who themselves abused and murdered.
However much good God did, man returned it with evil. We are “man.” We are the guilty. But what have we received? Grace, mercy, the priceless gift of God’s Son, his very blood shed for us to pay for our guilt. Instead of evil never departing from our house, we have been given peace. And so, we who have moved from returning evil for good, let us move from returning evil for evil. Let us return good for evil that those who are wicked might be awakened to their sin and turn to God. It is no less than what God has done for us.
posted by M Clark at 8/05/2013 08:39:00 AM
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