Each and every one of us has ever been wronged. Time and again we are brushed off the wrong way. Someone steals one of your prized possessions. You are engaged in a bitter altercation with a close friend. You have just heard that one of your classmates spreads false rumors about you. Perhaps you lent someone money and you have never been repaid, instead this person keeps avoiding you. You have been betrayed by someone that you really trusted. The list of wrongs and injustices done is endless and might continue to grow because truth is; as long as we live in this world there will always be conflict amongst us. Sometimes you are the one on the wrong side.
Our instinctive reaction to the wrongs done against us is to try and get even or get revenge by ourselves rather than forgive and let God take control of the situation. We label the wrongdoer as enemy number one and go on to confront the enemy. We fight the enemy in all ways that we can. We go to social media and post scathing remarks about your new found enemy. We spend a lot of our time and energy trying to get even. Eye for eye and tooth for tooth we say.
Back in high school when I was in form two, we used to empty dormitory trash in shifts. On a particular Tuesday morning, I was not on duty according to the duty rota. The person on duty on that day had not emptied the trash so the dormitory prefect approached me and told me to empty it instead. I totally refused and I stood my ground. Eventually the prefect took me to the house teacher and I was forced to empty the bin despite the guy who was supposed to empty the bin being there. I was infuriated and totally mad at the prefect. I decided to retaliate. In the evening just before dinner, I took a bucket of water, mixed it with toilet powder and poured it on the prefect’s bed. I didn’t bother to know where or how he would spend his night. He suspected me for that incident but he could not take action since he could not prove I was the one who did it. I felt a bit accomplished but in the eyes of the Lord, yet another sin. Evil for evil. I let evil overcome me and that was a plus for the devil.
Vengeance is Mine
As born again Christians, what should we do? How are we called to handle such difficult situations? Vengeance belongs to the Lord. He is the ultimate avenger. It is not our business to repay the evil done to us. Do not say “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord and he will avenge you ( Proverbs 20:22). We are told to leave room for God’s wrath despite the degree of injustice done to us. In fact we are to bless those who persecute us. Love your enemies and pray for them commands the bible. Let the evil done to us not overcome us but let us overcome evil by doing good. Our own wrath creates more conflict and animosity rather than the love that we are called to show. Many wrongs are done to us but before we retaliate, let us think of the consequences of our actions having in mind that our heavenly father forgave us too and that he will avenge. He is a God of justice.
Just before crucifixion, Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and even after the betrayal, Jesus still called Judas a friend. Everyone was furious cause of the betrayal. Simon Peter was so mad that Jesus was being arrested that he drew his sword and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. Jesus immediately commanded Peter to put his sword away. He went ahead and touched the man’s ear and healed him. In Jesus’ state of mind you wouldn’t have expected him to do that but he left room for God’s wrath. As believers, let us forgive and not revenge. The day of the Lord is near and he will give to each person according to what they have done. Let us leave room for God’s wrath which is a dreadful thing.
