DO NOT REPAY EVIL WITH EVIL

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” – 1 Peter 3:9

In 1533, Thomas Cranmer became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He served in that position during the reigns of Kings Henry VIII and Edward VI. He is credited with writing and compiling the first two Books of Common Prayer which established the basic structure of Anglican liturgy for centuries and influenced the English language through its phrases and quotations. He reached out to other Protestants and sought their unity on the Lord's Supper. His greatest achievement was to get English Bibles into the churches for the first time. In 1556, Queen Mary, a Roman Catholic queen, sentenced him to be burned at the stake for his heresy against the Roman Catholic Church. Though Thomas Cranmer took a stand for Christ that some did not like, it was hard not to like him as a person. Cranmer was a forgiving man, and he was so careful to return good for evil that it became a common saying, "Do my Lord of Canterbury an ill turn, and you may be sure to have him your friend."

How do you react when you are wronged? Do you seek revenge or do you seek to do good? Today in prayer, thank Christ that He sought to do good when He has been wronged and follow Him in doing what is right.

“The blessed person is not him who simply declines the evil, but he who does what is good.” – Symeon the New Theologian

God’s Word: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.” – Romans 12:17