The Divine Level
On which level of life are you living--on the human level, the demonic level or the divine
level?
On the human level we return good for good and evil for evil. That's the way most people
live. But when we live on this level, we really do not grow. In fact, we become like other people. The human level turns life into a war, into a selfish competition. And that's not the Christian way to live. Only God knows when something is truly evil. What someone does to you today might ultimately turn out to be the best thing that's ever happened to you. On the surface it may look like evil, but God can turn it into good.
Nor do we want to live on the demonic level. In Psalm 35 we read about those who return evil for good. David says, "They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul" (v. 12). That's the level the Devil lives on. He always returns evil for good.
But David lived on the divine level. He returned good for evil (vv. 13,14). He expressed love toward his enemies. He didn't simply return good for good and evil for evil. And he certainly didn't return evil for good. No, David returned good for evil. He anticipated the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matt. 5:44).
Let's live on the divine level--that dynamic level of love where we live like the Lord Jesus Christ.
It's often difficult to do good toward those who have wronged you. But God wants you to live on the divine level and return good for evil. How do you treat others? The next time you are wronged by someone, choose to treat that person with kindness. God will use your actions to bring glory to Himself.
Psalm 35:11-21
False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
(Stops & Steps 0999 05VII2009)