Blessing the Socks off our Enemies

In our families, in our marriages, in our careers and in the work place, it has happened to us.  We have all been mistreated and felt the emotions that come with the feelings of being mistreated.  How do we rid ourselves of these emotions?  Some of us hang out with friends to get it all out.  In our modern society, some explode their emotions all over Facebook.  Some hold it in.  We hold the emotional strain due to mistreatments and abuse we have endured for days, weeks, and sometimes decades.

Even in our redeemed state, our flesh desires revenge.  We want payback.  We have an “eye for an eye” mentality towards the one who has hurt us.  But the more we fellowship with Christ and get His Word into us, the more contrary it commands us to be toward what our flesh desires.  Could you imagine that God may want to move our flesh from revenge and move us to a place of blessing - blessing our enemy?

I remembered when someone had done me wrong when I was in high school.  I would lie in bed thinking of ways to hurt them: how in the middle of the night I could damage their property in return for the hurt they had caused me.  Many think of various ways to pay people back for their mistreatment - defiling projects, destroying reputations, and derailing dreams. But God does not ask us to refrain from returning evil for evil when mistreated without offering us a significant blessing in return.  Our Father is a huge Giver, and He wants to bless us for bearing mistreatment and suffering on His behalf.

For thousands of years, man was able to return whatever necessary evil back to the person who had caused pain.  That was until Jesus stood up and said the following:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 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 children 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 own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  Matthew 5:38-48 New International Version

This went against man’s ways.  This went against cultural, oral traditions, and current day scriptural norms of the day.  Most importantly, it went against the path that our flesh takes when someone hurts us.  It may go against what our parents have taught us in regards to the playgrounds of life:  if someone hits you, hit them back. God was instituting His economy and His order for man.

In this day and time, Roman soldiers and Roman countrymen could come to a Jew and demand whatever they wished.  Jews despised the Romans for their abuse and unfair treatment.  If a soldier wanted you to assist him by helping him carry a load, you carried it.  Jesus said (paraphrasing), “Watch your attitude.  If one of those guys asks you go to a mile.  Go the extra mile and go two.”

Even today, this applies to us.  Jesus says to not resist - withstand, to strive against, or oppose - the evil person.  In fact, Jesus seems to be saying here to lean into the evil person.  Are we to lean into the opposition as people lean into the wind of a hurricane or storm?

When I was in second grade, there was a girl, named Natosha, who was the classroom bully.  She was loud and obnoxious.  She was also the teacher’s pet.  When the teacher had to leave the room, Natosha was the one who was asked to take names and when the opportunity came her claws would come out.   Of course, I was the talker and I was always on Natosha’s list of names to turn into the teacher.  She and I did not get along at all.  The day for my opportunity to get her back was coming.

It was time for recess.  Recess ‘old school’ was when you were allowed to play in the open areas and fields of the school’s property with no direction of what you could or couldn’t do.  There were no organized instructions or requirements. (I write this for those young ones reading this but I digress.)  I saw Natosha across the yard and there was this rock that was speaking to me to pick it up and throw it at her.  And, I did!  Smack in the eye!

I would like to say that the kids on the playground rallied around me and picked me up on their shoulders and cheered.  That was not the result.  The result was a grilling by my teacher, a paddling by the assistant principle, and another ‘whipping’ when I got home that afternoon.  I had opened the floodgates of discipline upon my life and Natosha was at home with a sweet little patch over her cute little eye being nursed so lovingly by her mother.

Unfortunately, that is the fate of many who take revenge upon themselves.  Revenge can back fire and it leaves the guilty free. How many times have you ended up in jail because of a bar fight?  How many times have you ended up paying fines for destroying property?  How many nights have you been up at night and couldn’t sleep because of guilt?  That is why God says that we shouldn’t carry out the revenge.  He will carry it out for us.

Peter understood this clearly.  It is written down for the ages to comprehend and understand:

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9

Does this mean when we are mistreated that a calling is upon our life to bless? Yes! We are to bless those who are bringing evil and reviling things upon us. To bless is a mystery.  It is one of those things we will not understand until we are in heaven.  We do know, however, when we bless, we ask for God to impart supernatural favor upon the lives of those that have mistreated us.  We bless them so God would make us whole; give them favor, divine favor.  We also ask God to bless them well and make them happy - to gladden them.

I know what you are saying to yourself.  Why would I want to do that to those dirty, no good people who hurt me?  I know. I know.  That is why it is called a mystery.  We don’t understand it. What we do know however, is that God in return will bless us.  God will bless us!

Let’s visit that verse again:

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.  1 Peter 3:9

If we suffer mistreatment for doing what is right, we will receive blessings from our Father.  If we bless them according to the calling which God has called us to bless, God will bless us, and I believe in the same manner, as we bless them.  God wants to bless you with supernatural favor upon every aspect of your life - marriage, parenting, family, possessions, dreams, and careers.  He wants to make you totally whole and give you divine favor.  He wants to make you happy and gladden you all of your days.

When you are insulted, bless them.  When they talk about you like a dirty dog, bless them.  When you become their Sunday dinner, bless them.  When you are the water they are drinking at the office water cooler, bless them.  When they cheat you, bless them.  When they lie about you, and when they mistreated you, bless them.

Get into the blessing business. People at Living Waters understand I love to bless.  I bless the congregation every Sunday before they leave to go home.  I bless babies at baby dedications.  I bless couples in marriage ceremonies.  I bless after I pray with individuals and families. I conclude pastoral guidance times and small groups with blessings.  I love to bless.  I don’t understand it, but I know God is in it.  God wants to bless every aspect of your life and as you are called to bless those who mistreat you, God is going to pour out powerful blessings into your life.

We see a significant beginning of this in what God promised to Abraham:

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  Genesis 12:3

We see close to the end of the Bible what James said about God’s blessings:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  James 1:17

Blessing those who mistreat us releases them from the offense they have done to us and allows God to bring his righteous judgment into our lives.   It literally makes room for God to step in on our mistreatment and allows his judgment to proceed.  It releases us from being the judge and allows The Judge to step in.  You see, there are always two sides to every story and God knows that.  He has seen the mistreatment from beginning to end and understands the hearts of all parties.  We will always judge partially and with injustice.  He will judge with truth and mercy.

Peter understood this as he went on to say the following after allowing God to have vengeance:

For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:10-12 (Peter quoting from Psalm 34)

Do we have any idea how many blessings we have squandered because we just “had to have the last word” or “had to defend our rights” or “had to get even?”  Let’s let God have the last word in our mistreatment.  He will defend us.  The battle is not ours but it is God’s.  Just sit back and let him fight. You just sit back and bless!

I know that in a situation like this, praying for those who mistreat you is difficult.  I ask that you use the following prayer to pray for those who have mistreated you until you can stand on your own and soar in the blessing department over their lives:

Daddy, God, I am hurting because ______________ has hurt me.  I am in much pain but I choose this day to rise above my pain and walk according to your Word and bless _________________.  I bless them with ability and abundance.  I pray that Your angels will go with them.  I bless them with the assurance of Your love and grace. I bless them with clear direction, a controlled and disciplined life, courage, creativity.  I bless them with spiritual perception of Your truths.  I bless them with faith, favor with You and with man, good health, a good spouse, their hands to bless others, happiness with fulfillment and contentment, hope and a good outlook on life. I bless them with a listening ear, longevity, an obedient heart and spirit, peace, pleasant speech and personality, promotion, protection, provision, safety, strength, success, trust, wisdom.  And God bless them with goodness and mercy following them all the days of their life. Amen. So be it!

30 Areas in Which You May Bless:

1. Ability

2. Abundance

3. Angels to Go With Them

4. Assurance of God’s Love and Grace

5. Clear Direction

6. A Controlled and Disciplined Life

7. Courage

8. Creativity

9. Spiritual Perception of God’s Truths

10. Faith

11. Favor with God and Man

12. Good Health

13. A Good Spouse

14. Their Hands to Bless Others

15. Happiness (Fulfillment and Contentment)

16. Hope and a Good Outlook on Life

17. A Listening Ear

18. Longevity

19. An Obedient Heart and Spirit

20. Peace

21. Pleasant Speech and Personality

22. Promotion

23. Protection

24. Provision

25. Safety

26. Strength

27. Success

28. Trust

29. Wisdom

30. Goodness and Mercy to Follow Them All the Days of Their Life

About the Author

Jason Rowland is lead pastor of Living Waters Atlanta - a vibrant, exciting church located in Riverdale, Georgia just outside of Atlanta. It is a great church reaching the heart of its community while reaching the heart of God.  Living Waters boasts being a church of every nation, tribe, and tongue where over 20 nations come together to worship any given Sunday.

Besides leading Living Waters, Jason is the husband of Dr. Karen Rowland, Ph.D., a counselor educator and native of the Bahamas.  He is also the father of three sons - Jerome, Jacob, and Joshua.  Jason enjoys the adventures that life brings with his wife and boys.  He also enjoys photography and long rides through rural Georgia in his convertible.

Jason Rowland

www.livingwatersNOW.org

www.jasonrowland.org

Twitter: Jason_Rowland

Article edited by Samantha Edu