TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY JANUARY 14, 2016.
REVENGE
REVENGE
To exact punishment for a wrong; a vindictive spirit; to inflict pain or harm; an act to retaliate.
Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to revenge: I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19.
Be sure that no one pays back wrong for wrong. But always try to do what is good for each other. I Thessalonians 5:15.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Romans 12:17.
Basic human nature drives most people to want to retaliate when someone does them wrong. They excuse it by saying, “I am just doing what they did to me.” This attitude of revenge is not acceptable to God. Every day we have situations that bring out a desire to show some revenge. A fellow worker blames you for something you did not do at work. A friend betrays you. A spouse causes you hurt feelings. For all of these issues and many more your natural reaction is to retaliate even if it is just verbal.
When people try to even the score and get revenge it starts a vicious cycle. One revenge action brings another act of revenge in retaliation and normally is more severe than the first act. Therefore, it becomes a losing proposition.
The scriptures give us much counsel as to how we should act when we feel we need to retaliate because someone has wrongly treated us. Paul tells us to let the Lord be our revenger. He also tells us in Romans to respond in love and not repay evil for evil.
How many times have you desired to give revenge to someone who has hurt you? Jesus commanded us in John 15:13 to love one another as he has loved us. In order to love like Jesus loved we must be able to forgive. Forgiveness is much more than saying to one “I forgive you”. It involves attitude and actions. In I Thessalonians 5:15, the apostle Paul advises us to, “Always try to do what is good for each other.”
It is not our role, being a believer in Jesus, to retaliate, to punish, or to seek revenge. It is God’s role. When you react with loving kindness and forgiveness to those who treat you wrong it will leave a lasting impression on them because to respond in this way is unnatural and it is hard to do. When we show people undeserved favor, this is grace. Grace is the exact opposite of revenge.
We should never forget that grace is what Christ did for us. Instead of giving us what we rightly deserved for our sins and evil deeds, He died to pay the penalty for us and to give us a way to ask for forgiveness of our sins. As He forgave us so we are to forgive others.
The next time you have a desire to retaliate, do something good and see what happens.
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Help me today to respond to wrongs done to me with a spirit of love. Keep me from the desire to return evil for evil and to become more like You. Help me to forgive others just as You forgave me.
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