YOU HAVE BEAT ME by Wm. Penniman

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, Cal. · Sep 8, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 36.

“YOU HAVE BEAT ME.”

By Wm. Penniman

Rendering Good for Evil.

WHEN in Pennsylvania some time ago, I talked with an old gentleman on this subject, and was much pleased with an anecdote he told me. The man who told the circumstance never made a profession of religion, but believed in the Golden Rule, or that of doing unto others as we would have them do unto us.

But some seem to think that instead of doing unto others as they would wish to be done by, they will do unto them as they ought to be done by. This is not God’s way; He is much better unto us than we deserve. “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Therefore we should love even our enemies, and do them good as we have opportunity.

As to the man in question, it seemed to do him good to do a kind deed to one who had refused to do one for him. He was not like the man who said, “We are taught in God’s Word to render good for evil, but I must confess it is not very refreshing.” But it seemed to refresh this man to do a deed of this kind.

One day he called on a minister to get the use of his horse for half an hour or so. The preacher refused, saying he was not in the habit of lending his horse, so the man politely bade the preacher good day, and walked off. In the course of a few days, he happened to find the preacher trying to borrow a one-horse buggy, so he offered him his, but he hesitated much about taking it; but, after much urging, he consented and remarked to the lender, “You have beat me.”

Doubtless the preacher did not refuse to lend his horse after that. It is not right to lend a horse or any animal to one who will mistreat it; for the “righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.”

There are many such cases in which men have been beaten in this way, and even worse than if they had been beaten by a whip; but this case is enough to illustrate the principle.

Christ says (Matt. 5:44, 45), “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Again, Paul says (Rom. 12:20), “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.”

In the illustration given, the man who refused to lend was not an enemy to the borrower, but the principle is the same.

It has been said by a certain writer that “to render evil for evil is man-like, to render evil for good is devil-like, to render good for evil is godlike.”

Therefore let us all be like God, and render good for evil. Wm. Penniman.