We know that the Bible tells us to love others. We know that as Christians we should be kind and treat others with love because that is what God did to us. But when it comes to daily life, it can be hard to really believe that loving others is the way to go. It seems like it would be easier and make us feel better to get revenge on those who have treated us wrong. And even though its normal to feel this way, let’s take a look at three reasons why love wins out over revenge.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. – 1 Cor 13:4 (NIV)
- Love frees you. If you harbor a grudge and refuse to forgive you’re not teaching the other person a lesson. What you’re doing is making yourself mad, angry and bitter. Keeping unforgiveness and hate alive in your heart is a bad thing. You’ll end up unhappy and frustrated. When you choose to forgive and love others, regardless of what they did to you, you find yourself being freed up. Instead of always being angry and upset you can get past those things and move on with your life. God tells us to love others because it frees us. It allows us to continue on with our lives and to heal.
- Love sets you apart. Most people respond with bitterness, revenge and hate when someone does something wrong to them. Imagine if you choose love instead. Do you think that might make someone take a second glance at you? Do you think that might open some opportunities to share Jesus with someone? When you choose to walk in love with others it will set you apart. Walking in love is different from the norm, but its certainly better. People will begin to notice when you respond to others and difficult situations with love.
- Love restores. The great thing about choosing to love is that it brings restoration to the situation. It can cause friendships to be mended and things to get back to normal much quicker than if you would respond in hate and anger.
Loving others is something we’re encouraged to do in the Bible. Its not always the easiest path to take, but if you choose to respond to others in love is worth it. So, the next time you’re tempted to get really angry, lose your cool, or just flat out take revenge on someone, take a few moments to reflect. Realize that if you respond to the person and situation in love, you could come out on the other side a winner.
Take some time today to think about what real love is by reading 1 Corinthians 13. It shows a great picture of what true love looks like.
