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. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21
A woman named Diane Johnson shared a story about a man who saw a snake being burned to death and decided to pull it from the fire in which it was trapped. When he pulled it from the fire, the snake bit him on the hand, causing such pain that the man lost his grip and dropped the snake back into the fire. So, he used a metal pole to get the snake out of the fire, thereby saving its life. One of the onlookers said to the man, “That snake bit you. Why are you still trying to save it?” The man’s reply gives us the foundation for our discussion today. “The nature of the snake is to bite, but that’s not going to change my nature, which is to help.” The man’s attitude toward the snake has application for our Christian lives as set forth in Romans 12 above as well as a number of other biblical passages.
I can relate to the one who questioned the snake’s savior. I must confess that, though I do have a nature to help, I am not so sure that I would have had such a benevolent attitude towards a snake that just bit me. I hope to never know the answer to that quandary. However, in the realm of human interactions, this is precisely who Christ calls us to be. This is one of those principles Christ enjoined on His people that is much easier to understand than to implement.
In the context of Romans 12, Paul dealt with many interpersonal responsibilities which are incumbent on the child of God: non-conformity to the world (12:2), proper self-esteem (12:3), understanding and sustaining the unity of the body (12:4-8), because of genuine love for the same (12:9-16), and finally, proper treatment of those who treat us improperly.
The foundation of this is undoubtedly from Jesus’ sermon on the mount where He called for, not only avoiding retaliation, but in fact repaying evil with good (Matthew 5:43-48). This is one of the radical calls of Christianity to buck our natural instincts of self-preservation and retribution upon those who wrong us. Jesus demands love for those who hate and mistreat us. He expects kindness where harshness has been practiced. He demands leaving vengeance in the hands of the One to Whom it belongs (Romans 12:19). He makes clear the reality that only good can overcome evil (Romans 12:21).
Before we throw up our hands and say this is all too much to demand, let us recall Jesus’ example when He, suffering the most grotesque pain and sorrow any of us can imagine, looked upon His abusers with compassion (Luke 23:34; cf. Luke 19:41-44). Rather than pursue their just retribution, He sought their forgiveness. In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus framed this manner of life as evidence of our descent from the heavenly Father, whom we are called to imitate (Ephesians 5:1).
None of this is difficult to grasp intellectually. However, when we face real harm done by people, the execution of these simple to understand principles calls for a faith that will follow Jesus no matter where it leads or what it costs. So, when faced with such challenges, will you and I be like the man who saved the snake despite suffering its bite, or will we be like the onlooker who could not grasp why one would react with such kindness? Will we let their nature change our nature, or will we allow the gospel of Christ to change it to match His own (2 Corinthians 3:18)?