Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house (Prov

"Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house" (Prov. 17:13). This is truly a fearful admonition of the scriptures, and we absolutely do not want to be found on the wrong side of this saying. But my point for posting this verse is that if we truly walk with Christ, and are led by his Spirit continually, we ARE going to find ourselves on the RIGHT side of this saying; which is to say we will many times have evil rewarded to us by those whom we have done good for. This is why Peter gave us the following counsel: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (I Pet. 4:12,13). It actually is a 'strange thing' for someone to pay back evil for good that has been done for them, and that is exactly why Peter told us not to be shocked when it happens. This is also why this same Peter gave us the following instruction in the same letter: "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously" (I Pet. 2:18-23). So our calling is to be on the opposite side of our text verse, meaning that it is our duty to return good for evil, and not evil for good. And it is our calling to RECEIVE evil for good, and to receive in a godly manner. It's easy to be kind to people who are kind to us, but it takes a spirit that is set free from this world to genuinely feel and return kindness to someone who is spewing out vileness against us.

Jesus covered this topic very well himself: "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful" (Lk. 6:31-36). These things are simply what we are called to do as the children of God, and it is these things that differentiate us from the world. These things are not things that one can just 'try' to do. That won't hold water for long at all until it is clearly manifested to be just a flawed human effort to be righteous on one's own steam. In order for us to achieve the freedom of spirit that we must have to fulfill these instructions of Jesus, we must stay on top of our relationship with the Lord; so that we can stay close to him, and thereby naturally act like him, as he told us to do. The beloved apostle gave it to us straight and true: "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked" (I Jn. 2:5,6). Unless and until we are able to walk in the Spirit as Jesus instructed us to do, we are simply still 'babes,' being predominately carnally minded. The apostle Paul addressed the Corinthians as being guilty of that very thing: "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (I Cor. 3:1-3). As our time in Christ progresses we cannot afford to remain babes, because we are supposed to be "growing in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (II Pet. 3:18).

If we continue in the journey for a good while, and fail to grow into the capacity to reward good for evil naturally, we run the risk of becoming spiritually retarded, which is not where we want to be. The key to growing in Christ is what Jesus said characterized the fourth class of soil in the parable of the sower: "But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience" (Lk. 8:15). As long as we remain honest in our heart about the condition of our heart, we can continue to "purify [ourselves], even as [Christ] is pure" (I Jn. 3:3). That is the only way we will walk as Jesus walked, and talk as Jesus talked; meaning if we keep everything out of our hearts that is contrary to "the love of God [that] is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5). We must keep the 'old man' out of our hearts and keep the 'new man' fresh and new IN our hearts (Col. 3:9,10). This is mainly accomplished through much prayer, and afterward it can be employed in our lives. This is why Jesus said, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mat. 26:41). If we do not 'watch,' which is to stay spiritually awake, and pray always; the fact of the matter is that our flesh will win out over our spirit, and we WILL enter into temptation. Honest, diligent prayer on an ongoing basis is how we win the battle between our flesh and our spirit. The apostle Paul described that battle like this: "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:16,17). It actually takes some doing to accomplish these things in our lives, but the doing is simply abiding in Christ by faith, and that through much prayer. When it's all said and done, the doing is all his doing, and it's our job to keep ourselves out of his way; and let him have what he paid for, which is to say all of our life. I'll finish on that note, and allow the great apostle Paul to say it best: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thess. 5:23). Amen. May it so be.