Today’s Scripture
Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
Proverbs 20:22
Big Idea
Let God decide if people deserve revenge — it’s His job, not yours.
Today’s Thought
Your brothers betrayed you and sold you into a life of slavery. People you met along the way failed to deliver on their promises. You were accused of wrongdoing — even though you were innocent.
If this were you, you’d have a lot of reasons to be bitter and angry. You’d want revenge, retaliation, and payback. Most people would say you were justified.
Not God.
In the Old Testament, a guy named Joseph went through those very experiences, yet when he had the opportunity to get revenge, he said “no thanks” and chose to let God take care of things. Check out Genesis 42 through 45 for the full story of how Joseph handled himself when his brothers — unaware of his true identity — ask for food in the middle of a famine. Joseph easily could have retaliated by letting his brothers and their families starve. But he didn’t.
Joseph isn’t the only biblical character who accurately understood God’s perspective on revenge. King Saul persecuted and pursued David, but when David had the chance to kill Saul, he didn’t do it (1 Samuel 24 and 26). When early church leader Stephen was being stoned to death (Acts 7), he prayed that God would forgive his accusers.
And the greatest example was Jesus on the cross — he prayed for forgiveness instead of asking God for revenge against the people responsible for His crucifixion (Luke 23:34).
God doesn’t want us to take revenge because it’s not our job — it’s His job to judge. And besides, revenge rarely solves problems. It almost always escalates the situation!
You’re never more like God than when you as an r12 Christian reject revenge and choose to supernaturally conquer evil by doing good.
Proverbs 20:22
Big Idea
Let God decide if people deserve revenge — it’s His job, not yours.
Today’s Thought
Your brothers betrayed you and sold you into a life of slavery. People you met along the way failed to deliver on their promises. You were accused of wrongdoing — even though you were innocent.
If this were you, you’d have a lot of reasons to be bitter and angry. You’d want revenge, retaliation, and payback. Most people would say you were justified.
Not God.
In the Old Testament, a guy named Joseph went through those very experiences, yet when he had the opportunity to get revenge, he said “no thanks” and chose to let God take care of things. Check out Genesis 42 through 45 for the full story of how Joseph handled himself when his brothers — unaware of his true identity — ask for food in the middle of a famine. Joseph easily could have retaliated by letting his brothers and their families starve. But he didn’t.
Joseph isn’t the only biblical character who accurately understood God’s perspective on revenge. King Saul persecuted and pursued David, but when David had the chance to kill Saul, he didn’t do it (1 Samuel 24 and 26). When early church leader Stephen was being stoned to death (Acts 7), he prayed that God would forgive his accusers.
And the greatest example was Jesus on the cross — he prayed for forgiveness instead of asking God for revenge against the people responsible for His crucifixion (Luke 23:34).
God doesn’t want us to take revenge because it’s not our job — it’s His job to judge. And besides, revenge rarely solves problems. It almost always escalates the situation!
You’re never more like God than when you as an r12 Christian reject revenge and choose to supernaturally conquer evil by doing good.
Prayer
God, there are so many times I want to retaliate against the people who
have hurt me. You see inside my mind and heart, and You know how I’m still
struggling to forgive them for what they’ve done. Help me to follow Your
path. Help me to trust You because I know You want the best for my life and
You’ve got my back. Amen. 
Jesus had a good idea! haha! I need to think more about what I'm doing and pray for forgiveness, instead of worrying about others and how they will "get what they deserve"
ReplyDeleteSo true only God can judge- gabby
ReplyDelete