Romans 12:17

"Recompense no man evil for evil.  Provide things honest in the sight of all men."
Romans 12:17


This seems difficult to me.  It is hard, when someone is being cruel, not to be cruel right back.  ... but then maybe I have a cruel streak that I need to work on.  I would like to be someone who could be kind and solve problems in a good way.  Christ always seemed to be able to do that.  People would try to manipulate him into anger or saying something wrong, and no matter how they twisted things, he always knew the right thing to say, that would be good, and also teach the people around him.  Perhaps it is the straight and narrow path ... in speech as with everything else.  There is always something good to say, if you can only find it. :)  There is always a way to respond to evil with good... somehow.  God wouldn't give us this advice otherwise. :)  The task is to find the way, and to be able to be calm enough to control ourselves when we are tempted to respond in an evil way.  The other part of the verse says to provide things honest in the sight of all men.  That seems like a big task as well.  I wonder exactly what it means. The closest that I can think is to be honest with everyone, and not just to those you identify with... but that isn't exactly the way that it is written.  I wonder if it has more of the aspect of living your life in a way that can't be condemned... where you don't have to hide anything from anyone.  Even if the media tried to dig up something on you, they wouldn't be able to find it. :)  Wouldn't that feel good?  To feel so clean and have such a clear conscience that no one anywhere could give you a guilt trip about anything? :)  A difficult task, but a worthy goal. :)  Though we might not be able to get there immediately, the more honestly we live, the closer we will be to that ideal. :)