“By the word of your lips have I avoided the paths of cruelty.”
Psalm 17:4
There is never a justification for us to be malicious and cruel. Some people think it is OK to be cruel to people who are wrong, but others being wrong is no excuse for cruelty. Simeon and Levi justified their barbaric cruelty to the inhabitants of Shechem because their sister had been mistreated, but their father Jacob cursed them because of it (Gen. 49:5–7). They learned the truth of Solomon’s admonition to his son: “A merciful man does good to his own soul, but a cruel man troubles his own flesh” (Prov. 11:17).
Besides that, what if the person you think is wrong is not wrong? Men justified their injustice and cruelty against Jesus because they thought he was wrong. But even though Jesus knew his enemies were wrong, he did not retaliate with cruelty against them. Peter said, “Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his footsteps, who committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return, and when suffering, did not threaten, but committed himself to the One who judges justly” (1Pet. 2:21–23). And so, as Peter went on to say, “Let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in well-doing, as to a faithful Creator.” So, if someone has been cruel toward you, trust God and be patient. He will be your avenger in due time.
In this world, if you are an upright person, you will suffer for it, and increasingly so as this world drifts deeper and deeper into darkness. Be prepared. Do not retaliate in kind, but “turn the other cheek” as Jesus said to do. Peter wrote in another place, “Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” (1Pet. 4:1). You can consider the abuse of sinners against you as evidence that you have ceased from sin, and that is a good thing. Paul taught the same thing: “All who are willing to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2Tim. 3:12).
Are you willing to live a godly life before men? If so, then you will suffer their abuse. But that’s OK because “if we persevere, we will also reign with him” (2Tim. 2:12). And remember, no matter how wrong we think someone else is, it is never right for us to be cruel to them. We overcome evil with good, not with more evil.
