How to act right when others act wrong

It happens to me all the stinking time.

I try to act right, but others just do me wrong.

Do you know what I’m talking about?

I’ll politely ask for a different table at the restaurant and the server dares roll her eyes at me!

Or I’ll go out of my way to take great care of a patient, only to discover that they complained to the nurse that I didn’t explain the diagnosis properly.

It’s like I can’t win for losing.

In Romans 12:14 Paul says this: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them”. He’s pretty much repeating what Jesus himself had already taught on the mount when He said “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”

Talk about tough stuff.

Personally I’d rather retaliate. I’d rather show them their rightful place. I’d rather take matters in my own hands.

And I’d be 100% wrong – if I’m trying to act Biblically.

If you struggle with the same nature as I do, I want to share 4 Biblical success stories of folks who acted right when others acted wrong. I hope they encourage you to do the same.

1. Abraham and Lot. Abraham was older. He was wiser. He was kinder. He was all that and more for Lot, the orphaned nephew whom Abraham took in back in Genesis 11. Yet as soon as the opportunity came, Lot blatantly and shameless elbowed his way around Abraham, taking the greener lusher land in an effort to become richer and more powerful than his meek uncle Abraham – who let him. Of course you know the end of the story. Lot escapes S and G by the skin of his teeth and ends up fathering his daughters’ sons, while Abraham…..well Abraham is a whole other category of Godliness and success. Who ended up on top? You figure it out.

2. David and Saul. Saul tried to kill David, more than once. He hunted him, he tricked him, he hated him. In return, David respected Saul and when given a chance to kill him – twice – he refused. No way would David take matters into his own hands. Trust he did, and eventually, it paid off. David is one of the great fathers of the faith. While Saul’s legacy ends in defeat and failure, David is a man after God’s own heart. Yes, it pays to act right.

3. Joseph and the Brothers. This family puts any modern sibling rivalry to shame. They sold their brother Joseph to slavery and lied about it to their father. And no one ever fessed up for years. Poor Joseph went from slave to manager and back to prison. Did he feel overlooked? Did he feel unloved? Did he have every right to destroy his brothers given a chance? Of course he did….instead he utters words too magnificent for us to fathom in Genesis 50:20. He says “as for you, you meant it for evil against me, but God meant it for goo, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today”. Talk about a divine perspective.

4. Moses and Miriam. Miriam was his sister. She should have understood. She should have loved him. She should have done many things differently. But for whatever dark reason, she spoke against her brother’s authority and ended up a leper. Well deserved, you may think. If anyone should think so, it should be Moses, but instead, he intercedes. It’s a beautiful picture of our Savior and Miriam is granted mercy. I want to act right when others treat me wrong.

Which brings it all back to you and me – and Jesus. We hated him. We spat upon him. We turned our backs on him, and did all kinds of evil against him. We crucified him. Yet He opened his arms wide and still embraces us as His own. I’m so glad He does.

And because He did, you and I can act right when others treat us wrong.

Won’t you in faith do what so many others have done?

You will never regret doing right for the sake of the cross.

Related posts: