The Bible provides guidance on how to treat others, including those who may mistreat or act meanly towards us. Jesus taught believers to respond to mistreatment with love and prayers rather than retaliation or hatred.
The Bible encourages us not to do evil when our enemies harm us. Our God will deliver us from all kinds of dangers. we are commanded not to take revenge too rather we should give food and water when our enemies are in need of them.
God’s holy word instructs believers to avoid seeking revenge and instead respond with kindness and love. By doing so, they can overcome evil with good.
Luke 6:27-28 emphasizes the importance of loving one’s enemies, doing good to those who hate us, and blessing those who curse us. Prayer is also encouraged as a means to respond to mistreatment.
Let us read and meditate upon the following scriptures that will help us to understand of responding to meanness or mistreatment with love, and forgive.
1 Peter 5:5
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble”
Galatians 5:22
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith”
1 Corinthians 13:13
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity”
2 Corinthians 6:6
“By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned”
James 1:27
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world”
Romans 12:19
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord”
Galatians 6:9
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not”
Hebrews 13:17
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you”
Proverbs 15:4
“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit”
1 Corinthians 13:4
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up”
Matthew 5:16
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”
Ephesians 4:3
“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”
Hebrews 13:5
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”
Proverbs 11:17
“The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh”
Ephesians 2:7
“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus”
Joel 2:13
“And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil”
Colossians 3:13
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”
Luke 6:35
“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil”
Jeremiah 9:24
“But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord”
Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy”
Joshua 2:12
“Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord , since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token”
John 13:34
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another”
Romans 12:10
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another”
Proverbs 15:1
“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger”
Romans 12:9
“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good”
Ephesians 4:2
“With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love”
Ephesians 4:29
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers”
Romans 2:4
“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
Proverbs 19:22
“The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar”
2 Samuel 9:7
“And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually”
Galatians 6:10
“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith”
Philippians 2:3
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves”
Ephesians 4:32
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you”
Psalm 141:5
“Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities”
Galatians 6:2
“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ”
Matthew 7:12
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets”
Colossians 3:12
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering”
Psalm 31:21
“Blessed be the Lord : for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city”
