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 persecute you.
--Matthew 5:43-44
Before his days as president, Abraham Lincoln was an
attorney. He was approached once by a middle-class man
who passionately insisted on suing an impoverished man
who owed him $2.50. Lincoln quickly recognized the ridiculous
nature of the situation and tried to discourage him. But
the man was set on revenge and wanted to make his debtor
pay.
Finally, when Lincoln realized that the man would stop
at nothing to punish the other, he reluctantly agreed
to take the case. When he did, he asked the man for a
legal fee of $10, which the man immediately paid. Soon
thereafter, Lincoln secretly gave half the money to the
defendant, who willingly confessed the debt and paid the
$2.50 in full!
Even more amazing than Lincoln’s ingenious settlement
was that the vengeful plaintiff was satisfied with the
arrangement and walked away a very happy man!
Very often, when someone wrongs us, it’s natural
to want to seek revenge. In fact, the world encourages
us to feel this way! But God’s way is drastically
different.
Had the irate man reacted like Christ, he wouldn’t
have worried about the debt, but he probably would have
bought the poor defendant a meal or helped out his starving
family! God’s way of dealing with an enemy is completely
different from the idea of “don’t get mad
— get even.”
Today, if someone does you wrong, try to consider their
situation… ask God to help you forgive them…and
seek ways that you can minister to them. You never know
how God will use your reaction to touch their life for
Christ!
Tim Carlisle
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