"Return evil for evil to no one. Provide fine things in the sight of all men. If possible, as far as it depends upon YOU, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah.” But, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals upon his head.” Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good."
- Romans 12:17-21
- Romans 12:17-21
There would be no hatred and contention in the world if everyone would apply this Bible passage. True, it's quite hard to pass over a hurt or offense because of the emotional damage that it has done to us, but it's harder to let it linger in us. It becomes a heavy burden to carry, and that is really uncomfortable. Further, it may lead us to doing something that we would regret later. It's easier to let the offense pass and forgive the offender. It clears our mind and heart of any vexations and leaves us in peace. And it spares us from any trouble that might arise if we do something rashly.
So instead of taking revenge, it's wiser to leave the matter to the authorities, and the vengeance to God, to whom it belongs. Anyway, he is a God of justice who doesn't allow any injustice to go on. For our part, let's just keep on doing good to our fellows, even those who have offended us. By doing so, we will "heap fiery coals upon their heads", that is, we can melt their hardheartedness by continuously lavishing them with good deeds. In that way, we conquer evil with good.
