by David Brenneman
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:43-48.
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:14-21.
"Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb?" Job 31:15.
We who have read the Gospels know of how Jesus was with His accusers throughout His life and ministry. Of how He teaches us, through His Spirit, to do the same.
But oh how we're fooled into thoughts of revenge. Thoughts of payback. Thoughts of ill will towards those who wronged us in so much and in so many ways.
But we must return to what Jesus wants of us in this life in which we live by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself up for us.
It doesn't belong to us to go after anyone. Vengeance is His to deal with. We're to pray for those who persecute us. We're to go to our Father in Heaven in prayer asking for Him to deal with what we will most assuredly mess up if left to our own understanding and devices.
We only THINK we know what sweet justice looks like.
We fool ourselves in our hubris and pride to think we can be the architects of truly appropriate justice.
We don't know what God knows. Plain pure and simple.
What I CAN promise you is this: Regardless of how you feel in this moment: Christ died for the one you have a problem with. Just as assuredly as He died for you in all your utter sinfulness.
We never ever come out on top in the revenge game. We lose every single time.
One of Dr. Stanley's Life Principles says we stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
You and I can easily be so arrogant to believe that we're in a position in our morality to be able to rightfully administer justice that would be appropriate.
However, my Dear Reader, what if the conflicts you are experiencing, are there for reasons you're to enraged to see, hear or understand?
What we go through in life might seem completely wrong because of where it leaves us at the end of the day. But we can never understand in our rage and pain that in everything He's going to cause all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
That person or people whom we can be so angry with and distraught about...what if they came to Christ for salvation because of how we treated them as Christ wants us to?
What if our behavior mirrored Christ so much that it causes them to drop to their knees to ask why we are being the way we are?
God gives us who are saved His grace and mercy every single day. It's fully arrogant presumption to think we're well off enough in our walk with Jesus that we've arrived at being able to condemn others with a fully righteous judgment as God would do.
To be blunt: I can't trust me and you shouldn't trust you. We are not omniscient, we are not omnipresent, we are lights shining in the world reflecting the light of Christ towards others.
Rage and bitterness are poisons we ingest with the desire that it takes out those whom are so wrong towards us. We will harm ourselves first.
Pray for those who persecute you.
Literally, GET OUT OF GOD'S WAY.
You can't love God with your everything and love others and at the same time play the revenge game intent on justice on your terms.
Newsflash for everyone: regardless of how evil people have been in this world and will be: Christ died for them as well as us. All the sins of all mankind were heaped upon Jesus on the cross. Not just the sins of those who would eventually believe and come to Christ for salvation.
We pray because God can and will deal with those who wrong us. Not can and might, can and will. Throughout Proverbs we read of how it ends for those who are wicked or evil. Those are the facts of life for those who persecute others.
Those who die in their sins never win. They spend eternity forever separated from God.
What if you turned your anger and need for revenge in prayer instead? What if your prayers were the catalyst that brings another to Christ for salvation and then the Rapture of the Church takes place?
All revenge and retribution thinking is and does is all a short-sighted mentality. Even if in the moment you succeed that feeling won't last. It won't. What was done can't be undone. Forgiveness is a command not a suggestion for us. We cannot expect God to forgive us if we don't forgive others. Jesus specifically said as much.
Take everything to the Lord in prayer. Even if we don't feel like it or don't have the words for it.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.
That verse looks a little different now doesn't it? Focus in on that part where it says: In all your ways.
Jesus wants to see Himself displayed in you. He wants to see it displayed in me.
Pray on, pray over, pray through life.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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