Doing good to enemies

Bill Brown ... Xiamen University
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat." Proverbs 25:21, 22

Yesterday we noted that Christ transcended the "it is wrong to do wrong" ethic of the OT by adding that "it is wrong not to do right." But even in the OT there rare examples of carrying even the golden rule further, foreshadowing Christ's command to 'love our enemies.' And in Romans chapter 12, the "living sacrifices" chapter, Paul warns against repaying evil for evil and, quoting Proverbs 25, exhorts us to feed our hungry enemy, and in verse 21 summarizing it, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

We probably don't think of many people as actual "enemies," but there are probably many people who give us grief. How do we handle them (particularly those very close to us).

When I gave up my business to come to China, I had little time to prepare, so I sold everything as quickly as I could. One man offered me $10,000 for my office furniture, 3M photocopier (which alone cost that much), etc. It was a good deal for him, and saved me having to sell it piecemeal, so I agreed. He gave me $500, promised the rest by the end of the month--and never did pay! I was completely surprised, and angry. But after thinking it through carefully, I decided to just let it go.

Imagine my surprise when, a couple months later, he phoned to tell me his business was having problems, and he asked me to help him out by giving some talks to the people who worked for him! Close friends asked, "Why help the man who cheated you?" My natural inclination too was to refuse. But instead I agreed, and without any compensation helped him out, and he sheepishly apologized for having cheated me (but did not pay me). I told him it was between him and God, and I put it behind me and came on to China.

While I could put it behind me, he could not. He did pay a price; he went bankrupt within the year, whereas my family and I have never lacked.

Someone taking advantage of you? I don't counsel being milktoast, or someone's doormat. But... don't let them get a further hold over you by harboring resentment. If you do, it may be eating at you years later when they have forgotten the incident entirely. And a good way to stop it from eating at you is to take a positive step and do something good for the one who has wronged you. Our attitudes affect our actions, but research has also proven that our actions affect our attitudes--and our peace of mind.

Do good to those who wrong you, and you will have more peace, and perhaps even be blessed; as for your "enemy," we reap what we sow.

And for a good perspective on all this, visit www.loveyourenemies.org