1 Thessalonians 5:15 AMP
[15] See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek that which is good for one another and for all people.
Whether it was the reference to 'the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ' at the start of this letter written by Paul, Silas, and Timothy, or the reference to 'brothers and sisters' at the start of the chapter from where the verse above is taken, the audience truly defines the message and the impact it will have. This has been a recurring theme in our devotions over the past few days. Demanding a particular course of action from specific people would be a waste of time and effort, because a man can only give what s/he has. The world has an order, and practices and policies that align with the direction of the world. The world celebrates getting even, takes pleasure in taking revenge, and hating other people, paying back evil for evil, keeping malice, and the other vices that are laid out as the works of the flesh in Galatians 5.
This should not be a surprise, as this present world system is under the direct control and influence of the one the Bible says has a mission to steal, to kill and to destroy. The devil will do all he can to promote his agenda and priorities, but, as mentioned above, there is a class of people referred to as children of God, brothers and sisters who hold and bear true allegiance to a different Lord and Master. They were once subject to the operations of the old man and its desires, but by the grace and process of submission and surrender to the Lordship and Authority of Jesus, they now are now subject to a new life and a new hope. They now live by different standards and codes of behaviour. The things that made them tick in the past is no longer fashionable, because a new man has been born within, and is impacting the man without. The question that needs to be answered is: which man is in charge at the moment?
The code of conduct for those who have had a personal encounter with Jesus is laid out in the verse above. It is from the abundance of what I have that I can share with other people. It is an assignment that those owned by God must discharge. How can I repay another with evil if the good God is the one in full control? If you are not sure who you are, and whose you are, ask the God of Truth to enable you see yourself the way He does, so you can be helped. That day is today. There is no guarantee that this earth will remain as it is tomorrow; we have been called out and set apart to showcase the grace and the power of God. As a child of God, I must seek that which is good for all people. It is not about whether these people have done me any good first; it is that I am a product of grace too, and it is all my life can produce. Does this describe me at the moment? God's time of favour is here
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