Responding to an Enemy

“Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy.” —Psalm 7:4

From the time David slew Goliath, King Saul viewed David as a potential threat and became David’s enemy.  Saul had no cause to treat David as an enemy. David never rendered evil upon Saul.

David had two opportunities to kill Saul, but instead of killing him, he delivered him (1 Samuel 24:9-13).  As David says in our text: “Yea, I have delivered him [Saul] that without cause is mine enemy.”

David’s gracious treatment of Saul is an example to all of us in how we should respond those who are against us. Consider four possible response to an enemy:

1. Returning evil for good is DEVIL-LIKE.  To be treated with goodness and respond with ill-treatment is demonic.  David only treated King Saul with goodness and loyalty. Yet Saul returned David’s kindness with evil intent.

2. Returning evil for evil is DOG-LIKE. A dog bites back when it is bitten.  The dog returns snarl for snarl.  If I am treated badly, and I respond in like manner, I am no better than a dog.  Proverbs 24:29 says, “Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.” Paul writes, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good…” (1 Thess. 5:15). Peter also says, “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing” (1 Pet. 3:9).  Don’t be dog-like in your treatment of others.

3. Returning good for good is MAN-LIKE.  When I return a favor with another favor, I’m only acting on a human plane. There is nothing commendable about giving a gift to one who has already given me a gift. That is simply a matter of human courtesy, that is only one step above from being a dog (read Luke 6:32-33).

4. Returning good for evil is CHRIST-LIKE.  We are exhorted to “Overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). Only when we treat our enemies with kindness and love lifts us into the heavenly realm (see Ex. 23:4-5). This is to have “the mind of Christ.”  To be truly Christ-like I must treat others as Jesus has treated me (1 Pet. 2:19-20).

Are you Devil-like… Dog-like… Man-like… or Christ-like in your treatment of others?