{"id":57137,"date":"2024-09-30T09:43:29","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T06:43:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=57137"},"modified":"2025-09-29T08:51:37","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T05:51:37","slug":"let-your-goodness-be-spoken-of-with-honor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2024\/09\/30\/let-your-goodness-be-spoken-of-with-honor\/","title":{"rendered":"LET YOUR GOODNESS BE SPOKEN OF WITH HONOR"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Word of God teaches us to overcome \u201c<\/strong>evil with good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Romans 12:20\u201321 says:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This means when you are wronged, do not repay evil with evil, but rather respond with goodness. By doing so, the one who harmed you will recognize his own guilt and may later repent.<\/p>\n

However, the same Bible also warns us that our goodness should not be spoken of as evil.<\/p>\n

Romans 14:16 declares:<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This shows that sometimes, even though we may not repay evil with evil, and instead show kindness, still our good deeds can be misunderstood or even appear \u201cevil.\u201d Therefore, it is important to purify our goodness.<\/p>\n

Just as water, though used for cleansing, can become dirty, and soap, though meant to purify, can be soiled \u2014 in the same way, goodness, though precious, can be corrupted and misrepresented.<\/p>\n

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WHAT CORRUPTS OUR GOODNESS?<\/h2>\n

1. WRONG MOTIVES (INTENTIONS)<\/h3>\n

A wrong motive can turn goodness into hypocrisy. Someone may perform an act of kindness but only to be praised by others or to appear religious, without love or sincerity in the heart. Such \u201cgoodness\u201d is false and becomes \u201cgoodness spoken of as evil.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jesus warned in Matthew 23:28:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

True goodness must spring from love and a pure heart (1 Timothy 1:5).<\/p>\n

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2. THE SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE<\/h3>\n

Another danger is when someone returns good outwardly, but inwardly desires vengeance \u2014 perhaps saying, \u201cI leave him to God so that God may punish him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Though this may sound wise, its wisdom is incomplete. Instead of desiring evil for our enemies, we should intercede for them, asking God to show them mercy. This reflects the very heart of God, whose first quality is mercy.<\/p>\n

Proverbs 24:17\u201318 teaches:<\/p>\n

\u201cDo not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Vengeance belongs to the Lord alone (Romans 12:19), and we cannot dictate how He should act. For example, early Christians prayed against Saul for persecuting them, but instead of judgment, God showed him mercy and transformed him into Paul the Apostle (Acts 9).<\/p>\n

Thus, the believer\u2019s calling is to pray for mercy, not vengeance.<\/p>\n

Jesus clearly taught this radical love in Luke 6:27\u201330:<\/p>\n

\u201cBut to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is not weakness or foolishness, but the living and powerful Word of God.<\/p>\n

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A PRAYER<\/h2>\n

May the Lord help us so that our goodness may be spoken of with honor and not with evil.<\/p>\n

Maranatha!<\/p>\n