Proverbs 17:13
“Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.”
I have seen this Bible verse play out many times in real life. I will share a few true stories to help us understand this principle better—and to show practically how to build Godly character, so that our actions and decisions reflect God’s wisdom and integrity in every situation.
This post is long, but please read to the end so you can learn the lessons.
One of the worst things you can do to yourself is to fight against someone who genuinely loves you and has your best interest at heart.
If you want to plant a tree of trouble that you will continually reap from, then pay evil for good.
A Story from My Childhood
When I was a small boy in the village, a lady came to church for deliverance. How she got there, I do not know, but she was brought to church and prayers were consistently made for her.
The deliverance sessions were intense. Hands were laid on different parts of her body to cast out demons. There was even a spiritual standing order that if she was not delivered, she would not be able to marry.
After the deliverance, her father wanted her to immediately leave church and go and marry, without allowing her to first become established in her faith in Christ. The church advised him to wait for a while, but this made him very angry—highlighting the importance of learning to treat people right, even when guiding or correcting them, so that love and respect are not lost in the process.
Instead of facing his daughter, he turned his anger on the church. The matter escalated until he openly slapped my pastor in front of people.
The pastor could have allowed people to beat him, but he restrained everyone and asked them to leave the man alone.
What happened afterward is the reason I am sharing this story.
The man almost ran mad. He began roaming around the entire village, searching for a particular man whose house everyone in the village already knew.
God had mercy on him. He was eventually forgiven and regained his sanity—showing the importance of learning to take responsibility for your actions, because acknowledging your mistakes is the first step toward restoration and peace.
A Story from Online
A woman once came online begging for money because she was pregnant and could not afford hospital bills for delivery. A kind-hearted woman decided to help her by transferring ₦50,000, but mistakenly sent ₦500,000.
When the recipient noticed the money, she blocked the sender on all platforms and continued living her life.
Chasing the money would have cost the sender time and resources, so she decided to let it go.
The pregnant woman later gave birth, but sadly, the baby died. She also fell sick with a condition the hospital could not handle.
That was when she started looking for the woman who sent the money, begging her to come and “reverse the curse.”
The woman replied that she never cursed her; she simply moved on with her life after being blocked.
That woman paid evil for good and invited evil into her own life.
My Personal Experience
Here is another true-life story—this one is mine—which confirms that this principle truly works.
I moved into a new compound, and NEPA (the power company) was constantly troubling us. If a bill of ₦10,000 came and we paid ₦8,000, they would disconnect our electricity.
I considered this oppression, so I went to the power company to ask how I could get a prepaid meter. I was told the requirements.
I discussed it with my landlord, and he supported me by providing the necessary documents. I applied for a meter—learning to focus on what is right, instead of dwelling on the inconvenience or unfairness, made the process much smoother and more fruitful.
My neighbor, with whom we shared electricity bills, asked me to help him apply as well since I was already doing the process. I decided to apply for three meters instead of one, using my time and resources—and it worked.
When it was time to pay for the meters, both my landlord and my neighbor surprisingly declined.
I wasn’t shocked by my landlord’s response, but I didn’t understand why my neighbor refused. Later, he told me that the woman we usually paid at the power office discouraged him.
Immediately my meter was installed, my neighbor had to pay the full bill alone. To make matters worse, the power company increased tariffs, and he ended up paying almost three times what we used to share.
Now desperate, he wanted a meter by all means. He paid someone else to apply for a meter I had already processed. He even demanded my portal password, which I refused to give him, though I offered to provide any necessary information.
That refusal became a serious issue. My landlord was involved. I was blackmailed. My landlord even slapped me. Eventually, I was given a quit notice for being “a bad person.”
Finally, we went to the power company to clarify everything. There, it was confirmed that I did nothing wrong. Only then did my landlord calm down.
Up till today, that apartment still does not have a prepaid meter—even though my neighbor has long moved out.
Final Lesson
My neighbor paid me evil for good, and God was watching.
Please learn this principle: never reward good with evil.
When you do, you invite trouble into your life.
Be careful how you treat people who genuinely want to help you.
If this message has spoken to you, here are some related teachings that will help you understand how Paying Evil for Good can bring issues more deeply:
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