Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)

Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

These people lived in Rome. These people saw a government that was pretty good compared to other barbarians, and yet Rome had armies that would bring countries into submission. In other words, Rome wasn't as bad as we are sometimes led to believe. However, it was a heathen nation. Evil for evil would have been something of a common practice for that day even in a more sophisticated society as Rome. Do not conform to the ways of your culture, but rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody is one of the hardest lines that I know of in the Scriptures. We are all on call all the time. People are watching and we are to behave in a way that is right. This is hard stuff! It is hard because - wonder if you are doing something that you know is not wrong, but the people watching think it is wrong. What do we do with our freedom in Christ? Do we teach at that moment or do we submit? Here is a real read on people, If it is possible- as far as it depends on you -live at peace with everyone. We may go to great lengths to live at peace with people and yet there still be no harmony. This is a reality that has to be accepted. Do you realize revenge is not wrong it is just wrong for us? If we step in, we may mess up either God's mercy or His wrath. Here is hard obedience for us followers of Christ: love your enemies. Is it possible for good to overcome evil? The answer is yes! Please meditate on these words and let them go to the deepest recesses of your soul.


Christianity is neither contemplation nor action. It is participation. Contemplation is looking at God as if he were an object. But if you participate in God in the sense that you let yourself be penetrated by him, you will go to the cross like him, you will go to work like him, you will clean shoes, do the washing up and the cooking, all like him. You cannot do otherwise because you will have become part of him. You will do what he loves to do.

Louis Evely (1910– )