“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 19:17-21)

There are many scripture verses that contrast what is good from evil. In each, we see the words of Jesus being used to stretch our understanding and overcome our natural tendencies. I say natural tendency (or responses) because the idea of revenge can still be seen throughout today’s culture. What is “right” in the eyes of our secular peers is to always stand up for yourself and takeback what is yours. And while this stance makes for a great movie, it also motivates a heart of retribution and self-righteousne. Obviously not a biblical response. Contrary to the world’s idea of justice, we have the Apostle Paul quoting Proverbs 25: 21,22 saying “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” So, does this mean that Christians must be the “door mat” for every bad person in the world? My answer is no! I believe that we can stand up for what is right, and we can certainly protect ourselves and our loved ones. But we need to do so with the right heart condition while also seeking the right outcome. Hurting someone for the sake of hurting them, even when done to protect ourselves, is called revenge – not self-defense. And nothing good can be obtained by tailgating the person who just passed you after riding your bumper for the past mile. We are called to take the higher road. Not to get walked all over, but to see the honor and strength in humbly stepping down. So today, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”