Instructions for Interactions - Don’t Retaliate (Daily Devotional)

Welcome to Living Supernaturally, the daily devotional of All People’s church. We are so glad that you could be here and in fact, we are looking into God’s word which is a great resource, inspired by the Holy Spirit for our daily living, to live a life that is supernatural and that is what God desires for us. We are looking at some instructions from God’s word for interpersonal interaction. We are looking today at Romans chapter 12, verses 17 and 18, ‘Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.’ As we study God’s word and get wisdom and insight for interpersonal interaction, this is what God’s word says, ‘repay no one evil for evil.’ There are times when people think evil of us and even do things that are evil towards us. Well, God’s word says, don’t retaliate, don’t try to get even because God is the one who goes and does things on our behalf. He will ensure that justice is done and vengeance is done. The Lord says, do not repay evil for evil. Don’t try to get even. It says here, ‘have regard for good things in the sight of all men.’ Take note of what is good, respected, esteemed by all which is considered honorable, excellent, take note of that and have a regard for that and consider it to be good, excellent in the sight of all men. Verse 18 says, ‘If it is possible, as much as depends on you.’ So, that is the preface of what is to come. If it is possible as much as depends on you, it says, live peaceably with all men. While not reaping evil for evil, while considering what is good in the sight of all men, if it is possible, which means as much as it is possible for you or depends on you. Sometimes it is not possible because the person with whom we have to interact is not in the picture. So, we are unable to do anything to influence or impact some decision that has been made already, some disconnection/ cutting away that has happened in the relationship. God’s word says, ‘if it is possible as much as it depends on you.’ Now we are not in control of others’ actions or behaviors towards us or a particular situation but we can definitely be in control of our actions, our words, our intentions and our attitudes towards the others. So, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men which means that we can take the first step to de-escalate tension and reconcile things when things go bad. So, this is God word for us today. May we ask the Holy Spirit to put this in practice in our lives. Let’s pray, Father, we thank you for your word. You have asked us not to retaliate or to get even. You have asked us as much as it is possible and depends on us to live peaceably. We pray you will enable us to put this in practice in our lives, we thank you, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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