Ingratitude is sooo ugly and is a hallmark of unbelief. After the the death of his uncle, Jehoiada the high priest, Joash the King “forgot” the kindness this man had shown him. He “forgot” the fact that Jehoiada had saved his life when he was a helpless young child. He “forgot” that Jehoiada was the one responsible for his being king in the first place. He “forgot” that he had also been a wise and faithful counselor to Joash during his lifetime. When Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, attempted to provide for Joash the same godly counsel by the Spirit of God, Joash allowed him to be stoned. He not only rejected the word of the Lord but also silenced the one who spoke it. So much evil returned for so much good.
There have been times in my life where evil has been returned for good. As I searched the Scriptures during those times I found myself in very good company. In fact if you are serving the Lord faithfully your good will be spoken of as evil and more often than not evil will be returned for that good.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.—Hebrews 12:3-4
It is not easy to have your good called evil...to have your words twisted and your deeds maligned. No one likes to be hated without a cause, but therein is the encouragement. Our Jesus was despised and rejected...His words were twisted and His deeds maligned. Look to Jesus then for your example. See how He reacted...
For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
“Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; —1 Peter 2:19-23
Christ suffered that we might live. Shine your light so others might live. There are no true offenses against you...they are against God. Your life is not about you..it is about glorifying Him in and through it all so that you can lead others to Christ.
The key verse for me from this section of 1 Peter 2 especially when going through this kind of trial is this one:
but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously
I am never to look to and desire the praises of men...I am to desire the praises of my God. I am not to get entangled in foolish disputes in an attempt to clear my name. They take the focus off of God and place it on me...so instead of seeing Christ in me others just see me. They keep the focus on earthly things rather than heavenly things and distract from the task at hand. I am to commit myself then...all of me...to Him. I am to surrender to what He has for me. It is not my job to worry about those who return my good with evil. It is His. My job is to do good and keep my conduct honorable. Jehoiada and Zechariah’s good still bear witness today despite the opposition’s attempt to silence them. I end with Romans 12:21...very wise and instructive words.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good...
