Tit For Tat Behaviour

IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY FEED HIM, IF HE IS THIRSTY GIVE HIM A DRINK. Rom 12.20.

I was at a function the other day where I met an old acquaintance. She said she was going for a major operation the next day. I told a friend that we could go over to her home which was not very far away, and pray for her. The person remarked, “Why should we? She doesn’t care for us or our prayers or good deeds very much anyway?”

I was thinking about today’s Bible text, “As the scripture says: ‘If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink … Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good”. The thought that stuck in my mind was, “How often we read the Scripture and relish it but we don’t have the slightest intention to obey it!”

In the book of Proverbs we see this same instruction (25.21). Again, in the Sermon on the Mount, we have the Lord teaching us the same thing (Mt 5.54). You have read these many times and know it by heart. You have heard many preachers preaching and teaching you the same thing from the Bible. But the truth is that to most of us these are only ‘good teachings’ to hear. You might even wish that some others whom you know, who hear it will begin to practise it! For you, you are content with the hearing! You have no intention heeding God’s Word and obeying it! How else could we explain our contradicting behaviour?

Dear believer, if you have a problem in dealing with people who are ‘difficult or offending’, you should take special note of our Lord Jesus Christ’s words. “You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5.43-48).

That is practical Christian living! It is not your loud singing or prayers on Sundays! Aren’t you deceiving yourself thinking that you are a good Christian when you are not even willing to behave better than the pagans who do not believe in God? At the judgment seat of Christ, many will have to give account for their ‘tit for tat’ behaviour here on earth and for not obeying the Lord’s teaching! It is what you do TODAY that determines the outcome of that DAY!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, forgive me for not taking Your teaching seriously. I have been behaving like a pagan and not Your follower! Change my attitude and my actions, Lord. Amen.