Matthew 5: 43-44
43 –You have heard that it hath been said; Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy.
44 – But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
The bible teaches us to love our enemies, bless those that curse us, do good to those that hate us and to pray for the people who use us and persecute us. I’m not sure it is entirely possible for us as humans to really practice this. It is so hard to forget the things that people do, we are human and we hang on to the things that hurt us. It is really difficult at times to just turn away from that hurt. I sometimes wonder exactly what Jesus meant when he was saying this. Is it meant more in the way of a popular saying today – Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Reread the first verse, does it not sound almost exactly like that is where he was going with this statement. So maybe he didn’t mean for us to forget and move on. He meant for us to pray that they would see the error of their ways, meant for us to learn from what they had done to us but to move on and not let it ruin our lives. It doesn’t say we have to continue to let them hurt us or cause havoc in our lives. He only says that we need to love them and pray for them. I personally don’t believe that he expects us to set back and let them despitefully use us over and over.
Romans 16: 17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
See he doesn’t expect us to allow people to behave how ever they want and just continue to ignore it and look the other way. We should stand up against the things that people do and say “No I don’t have to be a part of this”. You should mark them and show that you don’t approve of the things that they do. You can still love them, pray for them and bless them without being involved with them. I’m sorry, call me wrong or hypocritical all you want, I know what I believe in my heart is the right thing to do. I don’t care how much twisting they do to try to make me look bad or to get back into our lives; I’m having no part of it. Threats don’t set well with me or work well on me. I’m standing my ground, I know that it’s firm, so I have no trouble standing tall.
Amen sister...Stand firm. I agree with you. Luke 9:5
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteMelanie, this post even though written almost a year ago is so timely in my life right now. I am dealing with the devil in the workplace and it seems like the hardest thing to do is to be cordial to those you know would love to see your demise, but this keeps me going.
ReplyDeleteI found your blog when looking up "despitefully use you." I too have a problem with the people I used to work with. I was deceived into thinking they liked me and after almost 3 years of working with them they fired me. Yes, it is hard to love your enemy. I will be working on this for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteI am also having issues with a coworker. Your blog was perfectly timed and I believe a true gift from God. Bless you sister.
ReplyDeleteAmen, truly as a human it is very difficult for us to forgive others and also a fact that we will pray for them. this is the case if we look into a human perspective. if we try to take a look on God's perspective, it is there we will see how God Saved us from Death. for me i am in a situation that my relatives are stealing our belongings and even my future but i keep trusting God that someday or somehow they will realize what they are doing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. I completely agree.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how so many people experience being misused in the workplace. I just literally went into the bathroom at work, got on my knees and asked God to help me resist pride which is the first enemy that comes to make us sin when misused, embarassed, harassed, and other such offenses which offend the ego/sense of self that we have. I prayed that I would be completely surrendered in Christ, and that it was to His glory that I was mistreated (that is - if I keep myself clean from backbiting, retort and bitterness) and that it was His offense, and not mine because I belong to him. I think this was one of the hardest prayers I had to pray. I've cried at work before, and I promised God I would not let my pride put me in that place again. God provides everything - hiring, promotion, sustainment of your job and even removal is because God allowed it. So I trust Him. When people do me wrong, I turn to God for what He will do about it, and how I should react. It hurts nevertheless, but He consoles me. So hold your head up, and be encouraged. Both Job, Joseph and David experienced years of mistreatment and rejection at the hands of others, but God lifted them all. Take note and follow the examples God has given us. God bless you all.
ReplyDeleteforgive them father they know not what they do, your will is not grievous to them that are led by the holy spirit. Children of the light are bound to sacrifice much and go through much tribulations but they endure this world and their foundation of righteousness is you lord, bless them and help them up in their darkest hour for what they do, they do for you. Give them your armour to stand vigilant against the wiles of the devil. So that when judgement comes they may be able to stand firm that they did everything to please you and did not participate in being pleaser's of men. My career choice was inspired from my faith (policing) and i will execute justice and righteousness in this field, by your grace forgive me my sins and purify my heart. May your kingdom come soon, amen.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIm so thankful someone took the time to write this from the HUMAN perspective because we are always attacked in some sort of way in the workplace. No one treats us fairly. We hear wisecracks being made about us and people who get mad at us just because we dont speak to them everyday when we know exactly why we are not speaking to them is because they did something very hurtful to us. Then when we try to call them out about it they run and get the supervisor just because we dont speak to them. God wants us to ignore those that persecute us but love them INSIDE. You dont have to show love for them on the OUTSIDE because they dont know how to appreciate that kind of love anyway.
ReplyDeleteDear Melanie,
ReplyDeleteDear Melanie,
ReplyDeleteI, too, found your blog when I looked up, "despitefully use you." I am feeling sick right now because I trusted a parolee I've known for 8 years. He was a crack addict, and had been convicted of yet another burglary. I was at his sentencing, and when I spoke up for him, the judge gave him 12 years, instead of 25. I kept in touch with him by letter over the years, and when he was paroled on April 4th, I drove him 2.5 hours to Elgin Illinois. Not long after that, I drove up to Elgin, starting at 5 in the morning, and drove him to a company where he applied for a job. If not for me, he would have had no transportation to get there. I vouched for him when he applied, and he was hired---a union job with decent pay and benefits, including overtime, vacation, dental and optical, sick leave and pension.
I knew his mother, and had read in one of her letters that she'd always given her children money but had never gotten any back for herself. So I sent his mom a significant amount of money, and when she decided to move from Arizona to Elgin, IL I paid for her truck rental.
I sent this parolee money to get him on his feet while he was still looking for a job. All this time, he was telling me things like, "I love you from the bottom of my heart," and so on.
The final thing I did was to sell him my 1996 Buick that has only 49,000 miles on it. I trusted him enough that I signed the title over to him, paid for 6 months insurance, and had him sign a contract which read that he would pay me 200 dollars a month until the 1839 dollars was paid off.
I found out today that he almost certainly has no intention of paying for the car. I also probably will never hear from him again.
I am sick at the stomach from being so despitefully used.
There are things I could do to cause him trouble, but the Bible says to pray for those who despitefully use you.
I certainly agree with you that we have no obligation to allow someone to continue to despitefully use us.
I remember hearing a radio minister tell a woman whose husband was beating her regularly not to leave, but that she should do her best not to make him angry, and that God would provide a way out for her. I have never heard any stupider advice from any minister.
There is another phrase that applies to what I am going through: "See in it a chance to die."
Also, "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing."
And "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men."
As well as "To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste."
Then there is "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord."
"Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you."
"He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."