“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate...Returning violence for violence multiples violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that."
--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
When I was under my first pastor, prior to me seeing his true colors, there were people in the church and the community who had an unjustifiable resentment towards him. These were people who just wanted to see chaos, and rejected any form of truth that would intrude on their darkness. Since I was fresh from NYC, with a minor chip on my shoulder, it was not difficult for me to put my hands on any of these individuals if needed be. There was an incident that really upset me, to the point I wanted to put these individuals in their place once and for all. Pastor called me into his office and began to address my feelings. He said “son, people will always respond to truth in a negative way, but for your own good, do not reciprocate. I am telling you, if you just learn Christ, you will be fine.” I look back at the conversation and find it hard not to laugh at the irony, but what he said was the truth. To me, those people wanted to disrupt what I held dear, and I wanted to respond back to them in like manner.
We have become a people that praises “an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth,” or the sweet taste of revenge. What will be the makeup of our character? How closer are we to God if we continue down this path? The bible states “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.” (Rom 12:17) Christian living can be difficult but not impossible. We have to be willing to break the condition of old, and truly cling on to the new. If we are new creatures after learning Christ, why is it that we cannot shake the feeling of getting back at someone who tried to hurt us? It may not be in a physical way. It could be via slander, confiding in someone only for them to spill their guts, a co-worker stabbing you in the back to get a promotion, etc, etc, etc. The Apostle Paul expressed in Romans that we are to meditate on the things that make for peace. The theologian William Burkitt wrote “Corrupt nature is very prone to return wrong for wrong, one ill turn for another, but Christianity sets a nobler pattern before us, even the example of him, "who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not," Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” Simply put, it is the will of the enemy that we keep the cycle of ill will towards one another going. However, Christ set a standard that is different, that we must meet if we truly love our Creator and desire to be with Him in eternity, and that is to love continually.
The Apostle Paul further stated “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” (Ro 12:18) He was not naive. He knew that some people will quarrel, and it is barely possible to keep upon good terms with them. In their case we must do our best, and if, after all, we cannot, then we must remove ourselves. Dr. King wrote “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that” Love must be at the core of our thoughts so let’s put this wonderful idea into practice. My wife shared with me yesterday, that we as Christians must put our feelings in check. We are not to allow our feelings destroy our witness. Thank you wife. Amen!
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