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The closer to the end of Monday Morning Condensed Bible Lessons in Romans 12, the tougher they seem to be. Romans 8 contrasts 2 mindsets (hearts): the natural and the spiritual. It’s no secret that following the natural is easier because it’s natural (brilliant, huh?).
The challenge in developing the spiritual is resisting what we would normally say or do if the natural was unrestrained to speak or act. So, to the text:
Rom. 12:17-18 “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
We have marvelous minds. They allow us to process and reason. They also allow us to rationalize when we find it convenient. For instance, v. 17 in the NIV uses the word evil. Why, that sounds almost Satanic! We would never be Satanic!
So, I reason that cutting you off in traffic is allowed because you cut me off; it’s not evil. If you gossip about me, I have every right to gossip about you. That’s also not evil. My thoughts and actions make perfect sense to me until I read the verse in the NCV: “If someone does wrong to you, do not pay him back by doing wrong to him.”
Uh oh! That means it’s not my mission to chase after a car to run it off the road. It’s not my mission to make sure what you said about me is said about you. In fact, even if it was my mission, my natural response is not to just get even but to do more to you.
When we’re wronged, we’re not to retaliate. First, Bible tells us not to; that should be enough. It can also cause stress and raise blood pressure, put us in harm’s way, and damage our role as God’s representative: “Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.”
Freedom in Christ doesn’t entitle us to say and act any way we choose. A manager of a local restaurant said, “My servers don’t like working Sundays because of church people. They’re rude. They don’t supervise their kids. They demand more, complain louder and tip less.” If she referred to only a handful of diners, it’s still a horrible commentary on those who ought to be the finest and friendliest customers, who show that Jesus had lifted them above rudeness and crassness, filling them with joy – especially Sunday – they just left worship services!
As previously mentioned, peace is a challenge if someone doesn’t want peace with us. So, before we’re told, “Live at peace with everyone,” we’re given 2 conditional clauses, “If it is possible, as much as it depends on you.” Sometimes, after we’ve done what we can do, peace is still not possible. What then? Here are 3 suggestions in closing:
- Don’t stop loving – this is the 2nd greatest command.
- It’s ok to love from a distance – a car needs gas and oil, but not in the same tank.
- Keep forgiving – it may not soften their heart, but it prevents yours from hardening.
- Keep the light on – Motel 6 said it often, but the father in Luke 15 did it best.
We can’t force peace with others, but we can be people that offer them what we have. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” Never forget, you are greatly loved!
–Jackie Chesnutt, Chaplain and Emotional Support Coach for Myers-Davis (10/19/2026)
