Fear. . . Isolation. . . Anger

Three powerful threats that can challenge our desire to live for, and obey, God. And David experienced them all.

These three conditions can cause otherwise discerning, intelligent people to crash through moral and ethical boundries. 

They contributed to most of our regrets from the past, and will continue to contribute to our future regrets. 

They have the potential to undermine the resolve and faith of even the most dedicated, devout and disciplined person. They can cause us to think we have to take things into our own hands, which usually never works or ends well. 

Remember, we have to place our hope in who we depend on - God - because David forgot and was trusting in his self. 

What is my fear, loneliness or anger causing me to consider that I wouldn't otherwise consider?

Relationally?

Financially?

Physically?

Re-embracing an old habit? Cheating on a loved one? Stealing finances?

Our prayer, every morning, before we even put our feet on the floor, should be the prayer that David prayed in Psalm 25: 1&5

"O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God! . . . Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you."

As we moved into week three the famous "Golden Rule" came into action. It's a great rule too. . . until someone does us wrong and we want to turn it into "Do to others as they have done to me." 

Peter saw Jesus unjustly crucified and he wrote to persecuted Christians in 1 Peter 3:9-11 "Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say, 'If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.'"

Well thats a crazy idea, and not something that will come naturally to many, if any, of us. 

Refusing to respond in like kind may be the most Christ-like thing we can do. 

So we have three questions, two for everyone, one for those that follow Christ:

1. Do I really want to be even with someone I don't even like?

Wouldn't it be better to be ahead? Even is easy...and you pull ahead by refusing to get even.

Every offense provides us with two response options:

To get even and be like the person who hurt you

or

To pull ahead and be like our Father in heaven. 

2. What story do I want to tell?

"I got even! I did what they did--and it "feels good!""

or

My response and reaction was like Christ. I repaid their "evil" with kindness.

3. What would it look like for me to return good for evil - to bless someone who has hurt or offended me?

You start by asking yourself "What does love require of me?"

This is our best opportunity to be like our Father in Heaven.

It's the greatest story ever told - returning good for evil - His Son for our sin.

Living this way takes us from a predictable story -- "I got even. . . "

to a remarkable story -- "I did for others what they did not deserve. . ."

to the most noteworthy story of all -- Responding like my Father in Heaven.