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There was a man who was bitten by a wild dog. It looked as if he may die of rabies, so the doctor told him to consider planning out his will. He took his phone out and began to type out a note. Minutes passed and he was still feverishly typing. Finally the doctor said, “That is surely a long will you’re making.” He replied, “Doctor, who cares about a will I am making a list of all the people I’m going to bite!”
Why do we have the desire to hurt others when we are hurting? Some call it karma, others call it payback, but in the end, does it really make us feel better?
You may or may not be familiar with the story of David in the Bible. He was the boy who killed the giant, Goliath. He became a hero and very popular among the people of Israel. He became so well liked that King Saul began to feel threatened by Him. The King was so insecure that he used his influence to put a price on David’s head to be killed. David knew this and ran away.
Later David had the perfect opportunity for revenge, but would he take it?
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Taking Revenge Is A Decision We Make That Brings Consequences: 1 Samuel 26:7-9)
7 So David and Abishai went right into Saul’s camp and found him asleep, with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying asleep around him. 8 “God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time!” Abishai whispered to David. “Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t need to strike twice!” 9 “No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one?
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David could have killed the king right there but He feared God more than the threat to His life. Revenge calls you and I to lose control. We think with our emotions and fears, rather than an objective look at the hurting we are causing someone else. Getting revenge does not make what was done to us right, it just makes us wrong, too.
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Leave The Revenge To God (1 Samuel 26:10-11)
10 Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. 11 The Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!”
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It was God that caused the men to fall asleep and gave David the idea to take the king's spear and water.
If we give God our bitterness, anger, rage and desire for revenge, He will take that burden off of us. He will also, in time, take care of the situation, without you having to compromise yourself.
We must remain loyal to God over seeking revenge for ourselves. In the Bible you see King Saul was not loyal to David, but David was loyal to God, and God was loyal to David.
If you read the rest of David's story, you will find that God definitely dealt with King Saul and the actions he took against David. He also honored David for his choice to not take revenge into his own hands.
HUMAN REVENGE HURTS US, STAYING LOYAL TO GOD SAVES US AND ALLOWS GOD TO DEAL WITH OTHERS.
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So if we are not to take revenge, how are we to respond?
Ephesians 4:32
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
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Can you imagine your life and this world if forgiveness was offered more than revenge. The truth is you can change the world but it begins with you.
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