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"Say
not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me..."
Proverbs 24:29
(Selected
from Heart Talks by C.W. Naylor)
"I'll
get even with that fellow if it takes ten years." Thus declared a
man about another who had wronged him, as his eyes flashed with
passion and his teeth set firmly with resolve. In his heart he
determined to do his enemy as great an injury as his enemy had done
him. "Get even," I thought; "What does it mean to get even?" Then
appeared before my mind's eye a view of the various classes of
humanity, each person in the scale of morality where his life had
placed him. I saw the Christian on God's plane of holiness and
truth. Far below him stood the moral, though unchristian man, and
down, down, step by step, my mental eye beheld man to the lowest
depth of moral degradation.
Vile and wrong deeds always degrade man to a lower state. Every evil
deed, word or thought lowers us in moral being. If some one has done
evil toward us, he has lowered himself by that act; and for us to
decide to "get even" by a similar act toward him is for us to decide
that we will lower ourselves to his level. To "get even" means to
get on the same level. It means to abase and degrade ourselves. If
we "get even," we are as bad as he, and worthy that others look upon
us with the same feelings with which we regard him. If you want to
get even with any one, do not choose some one below you, but some
one above you in moral attainments, and labor to attain to his
height, instead of the other's depths. This will ennoble you, make
you better, and be worthy of a reasoning being.
The principle of revenge has no part in Christianity. God refuses to
let us avenge ourselves, no difference the provocation or how good
the opportunity for vengeance. He says, "Dearly beloved, avenge not
yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written,
Vengeance is mine; I will repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine
enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so
doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of
evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom.12:19-21). "Recompense to no
man evil for evil" (verse 17). "See that none render evil for evil
unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among
yourselves, and to all men" (1Thess. 5:15). When one who is a
Christian so far forgets what is right that he stoops to take
vengeance, he is then upon the level of the sinner who did him evil,
and is himself a sinner, and is fallen from his high position to the
level of sin. God forbids us to threaten to "get even" with any one.
"Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render
to the man according to his work" (Prov.24:29).
The spirit of Christianity is to render good for evil, blessing for
cursing, love for hatred. The blood of Christ will wash away the
"get even" disposition from us; and until we are thus cleansed, let
us not presume to call ourselves by that holy name of Him who "when
he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened
not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." God is
stronger than evil. Evil used against evil, begets more evil; but we
may "overcome evil with good."
…Let us not endeavor to be "even" with our enemies by taking
vengeance, but let us do right and win them to the gospel by
overcoming evil with good. Let us get even by raising others up
instead of lowering ourselves to their sinful level. Be a blessing
to all. Set a right example.
--C. W.
Naylor |
