Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9 NIV
Someone recently misrepresented a conversation that occurred with my wife and then wrote about it on FB. They missed her heart and left out statements. They did not use her name. But they used the comments to make a point that made their argument sound better. I was mad. I thought of many different responses to add to the comment section. I wanted to distance myself from this individual. I knew I had taken up an offense and I was not ready to forgive at that moment. But I have learned that it is better to speak blessings over individuals even when I don’t agree with them. I want my life to follow my words.
Peter lays out 3 points for us to follow in our verse today.
Don’t react immediately. Part of maturing as a child is to learn to control your anger or outburst. I have lost count how many times the kids on my bus get into trouble because they immediately hit back another person who hit them. Don’t respond until you can control your breathing. You may have to count. Just remain silent about your negative thoughts in reacting to their insult or evil ways. to negative
Bless and curse not. When the person driving in front of you makes a hazardous move – bless them. Don’t say things like – “they are gonna kill somebody. Or they are gonna cause a wreck.” No matter how much fear or anger rises up within you. Speak a blessing – “Lord, protect them. Lord, please keep them safe as they travel.”
Most people have not heard blessing modeled in front of them. It is almost like learning a new language. It may sound strange coming from your own lips. Your brain will tell you that “you really don’t believe what you are saying…so don’t be a hypocrite…stop blessing.” But there is the power of life within your words. Choose to speak life. Train your mind to respond in blessing.
Inherit what you speak – To become an object of favor and blessing – speak it upon others. You are planting seeds into your own future. Peter says that you called, appointed, created to be an inheritor of blessing.
May you inherit the blessings that you speak
Blessings Love y’all