We were sitting on the old, beat-up couches that lined the youth group room when she shared with us how her classmates were tearing her down. She felt like the only way to defend herself was to lash back out them.
“I know Jesus says to turn the other cheek and everything, but I don’t want to become a doormat. And that’s basically what Jesus tells us to do.”
The room was silent. My heart ached. My mind stumbled as I searched for an answer.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 ESV
I think because we serve a good God justice and peace are closely linked. Justice is needed for true peace because God is good. We can’t have one character trait in it’s positive, healthy form without the other.
“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:17-21 ESV
God does not call us to seek vengeance. Our judgements are faulty and incomplete. And our anger is often far from righteous. Unless we’re in positions of authority over someone’s moral behavior or advocating for those who have no voice, judgement leading to punishment isn’t on our job description. Thank God!
Neither does God ask us to brush other’s wrongs under the rug. Sometimes we avoid acknowledging the wrong another has done in order to maintain a false sense of peace. We want to preserve the relationship so badly that we try to function around the sin. But in our passivity we do not seek the other’s good, but rather their appeasement. We don’t give them the “food” and “water” that even in their sin against us they still need. Thank God we are called to something better!
I would argue both ends of the spectrum – passivity or vengeance – are letting evil overcome us and they’re certainly not overcoming evil with good.
God calls us to submit to Him as the good authority who will judge the wrong. But I am commanded to be an agent of goodness. Often times doing good means acknowledging the wrong – not to condemn it – but to hand it to God to take care of and to cover the person with forgivenesses and mercy. It means seeking to experience whatever peace and health we are able to achieve in the relationship depending on the other person.
This may appear to some like we are being a doormat or being an agent of justice depending on which end of the spectrum people normally see us operating from. But if our goal is pursuing peace as far at it depends on us, submitting to God as the authority to vindicate, and overcoming evil with what is truly good for the other then it’s neither. It’s genuine love.
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Romans 12:9-10 ESV
We clearly can’t do this in our own strength. It takes trusting God’s character and believing we are truly His “beloved” (12:19). God doesn’t close His eyes to our hurt. He bore it on the cross. This is why we are free to love genuinely without being passive or seeking vindication.
The Worth Of Knowing 
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