“We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us…” – 2 Corinthians 6:8 (NLT)
Someone once said, “An eye for an eye will make the whole world go blind.”
When someone wrongs us, it’s natural to want to strike back. Someone cuts us off in traffic, and we’re tempted to retaliate. Someone treats us unfairly, and we feel the urge to defend ourselves or get even. We might even convince ourselves it’s justice.
But God calls us to something higher: unconditional love.
Christian artist Lecrae once said, “If I fought for my rights, I’d be in hell tonight.” That hits hard, because the gospel isn’t about getting what we deserve. It’s about grace. And when we know we are fully loved and cared for by God, we don’t have to prove ourselves or get even. We are free. Free to serve, free to forgive, free to love, even when it costs us.
This kind of love doesn’t come from just by trying harder. It comes from staying close to Jesus. The more rooted we are in His love, the more we reflect it. And the more we reflect it, the more we become living proof that grace is real and powerful enough to break the cycle of payback. Truly, good can overcome evil.
By His presence in us, we really can live this way. And when we do, the world receives from us a testimony of God’s grace and love.