Revenge: Not the Answer

Chuckle: "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them quite as much."

Quote: "Revenge, like suicide, is as impractical as it is self-destructive." –William Arthur Ward

Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written (Deut.32:35), "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," says the Lord. Instead, do what the Scriptures say: "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you." Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good (Romans 12:19-21 NLT).

Given our human nature, this is one of the most difficult areas of our lives to conquer. Often our immediate reaction when someone inflicts a perceived injustice on us is to want the guilty party punished swiftly and painfully, according to our personal concept of justice. But God tells us that to exact vengeance on someone is neither our right nor responsibility. God has promised that He will take care of things like that -- His business. Instead of seeking revenge, or getting even, Jesus tells us our responsibility is to return kindness and forgiveness for evil. "But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:44-45a NLT).

The instructions from Paul and the words of Jesus may sound preposterous and almost impossible, but God's Word is specific and clear. When someone hurts you deeply, instead of giving him what you think he deserves, Paul says to befriend him and shower him with kindness. What a revolutionary concept! Here are some reasons why we are so instructed:

          (1) Kindness and forgiveness may break the cycle of revenge and retaliation and lead to mutual reconciliation. After all, reconciliation with others is a Christian responsibility.

          (2) Your kindness may make the one who hurt you feel ashamed and change his or her ways. God may use your loving overtures to touch the heart of someone who needs a fresh encounter with our Lord.

          (3) Repaying evil for evil does more damage to you than the offender. Even if the offender never repents, forgiving him or her will free you from frustration and bitterness.

We live in a day of lawsuits and incessant demands for our legal rights to immediate justice. But our rights are not the issue here -- our testimony for Christ is. If you are no different than those who do not know Christ, how is anyone going to know you are a Christian? How can God use you as an instrument for his work in the hearts of people? Forgiveness involves both our attitudes as well as our actions. Perhaps you are in need of a attitude transplant. If so, please remember that our Lord, through his Spirit, is the chief transplant surgeon. . . .

Only God can ensure that the proper justice is carried out. By our impatience for swift justice and revenge, we are saying we know better than God how to deal with justice, and we show that we do not trust him and his sovereign wisdom. If we refuse to trust God for justice, we can become enslaved to bitterness and anger.

Love, Jerry & Dotse