Proverbs 24:28-29
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause—
would you use your lips to mislead?
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;
I’ll pay them back for what they did.”
Here is where the Christian is to be distinguished. It is the natural reaction to get even with the person who has harmed us. We say to ourselves that we are only seeking what is fair. Our neighbor is only getting what is coming to him. This seems just.
We should seek justice… for others. For ourselves, we are to be concerned only with the welfare of our neighbor and return his wrong behavior with the kind that will bear witness to the gospel. For our hope is to be the salvation of our enemy. That is why Jesus taught the following:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 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. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:38-48).
This is hard teaching to live out. But nevertheless, it is what our Lord teaches. To live such a life today is what will honor him.
Psalm 101
I will sing of your love and justice;
to you, Lord, I will sing praise.
2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life—
when will you come to me?I will conduct the affairs of my house
with a blameless heart.
3 I will not look with approval
on anything that is vile.I hate what faithless people do;
I will have no part in it.
4 The perverse of heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with what is evil.5 Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret,
I will put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
I will not tolerate.6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
the one whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.7 No one who practices deceit
will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
will stand in my presence.8 Every morning I will put to silence
all the wicked in the land;
I will cut off every evildoer
from the city of the Lord.