Always Be Good to One Another


See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
(1 Thessalonians 5:15)

I used to always want to lash out at anyone who hurt me. I wanted to make them feel at least as bad or worse than I did, if possible. Frankly, it never seemed to work out as I planned it out in my mind. Instead of feeling justified, I usually felt unfulfilled. I never thought they were hurting as badly as I was. What I didn’t realize was, my attempt to make them feel as bad as I felt was actually making me feel worse.
As brothers and sisters in Christ we have a responsibility to help each other not to retaliate when someone has wronged us. There’s an old saying that says, ‘Two wrongs don’t make a right.’ Any retaliation we do is just as wrong as the original transgression. We must help each other to see that forgiveness is the best response to those who hurt us, especially if a brother or sister is the offender.
I know as well as anyone how hard it is not to repay one offense for another. I still fail at this all the time. In this day and age, it’s easy for someone we don’t even know to deeply offend us on social media. It’s at those times I can almost breathe fire. I can be just as mean and hurtful as them. However, if I am strong in the faith, I have an obligation to help the weaker or newer believer. Besides, when I don’t retaliate, or I return their mean-spirited comment with a blessing, it drives those spiteful antagonists crazy.





Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Psalm 51:1-2)

Heavenly Father, you are great and good; infinitely better than we can ever hope to be. You are great because you have the power to justly destroy us all at any time, but you don’t. At pretty much any point in human history, you could have put an end to human existence, but you are patient with us. You are good because you have always been faithful to forgive our many transgressions. All we deserve is your scorn, but you treat us as little children and bring us back into the fold when we’ve misbehaved. We beg you, Lord, help us to always be in your good graces. We never want to hurt you in any way. As we come to the cross with our sins, wash us clean in the blood of the Lamb. When we die to our old lives in the waters of baptism, give us a clean and pure heart, free from any of the last vestiges of wickedness and iniquity. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!

Location: Kendall, NY 14476, USA

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