Vengeance is not mine . . .

 

The story is too long and inappropriate to tell here, however ourselves and another neighbor did something lawful and harmless to protect our homes. Without reason or facts, some of the other neighbors voiced an extreme negative reaction. We were shocked, puzzled and hurt. I struggled with wanting justice against their wrongful actions (okay) vs. wanting to get even (not okay).

Our word is “payback” — the Bible word is repay or RECOMPENSE. It can be positive but basically means “reward or punishment (whether tangible or intangible) based upon what a person deserves.”

When I talked to the Lord about this, He kept telling me, “Be still and know that I am God.” Over the course of several weeks, He worked in my heart until I could sort out the emotions from wanting justice with the emotions of wanting to get even. I dropped the idea of payback and began trusting Him to take care of the justice part as He sees fit.

Romans 12:17–21 is the familiar NT passage about retaliation:

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

 The OT has several words for recompense, sometimes rendered in different ways but many of them saying that this is God’s business, not ours. The psalmists say to God: “Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward” and “Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!”

The desire for payback is there too, but yielding to God to do it is more prominent. Psalm 137:8 says, “O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!” and God gives affirmation in Psalm 91:7–8: “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.”

 There is also a positive side. Those who do well are also rewarded, such as Proverbs 19:17: “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”

The most encouraging verse is Psalm 103:10: “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” Yet even knowing God is merciful, I didn’t want to sin by retaliating to the nasty treatment we received.

Now that the problem is getting resolved, God comforts me with words from the prophet . . .

Isaiah 35:4. “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

There are many more OT promises that God will take care of those who injure or mistreat His people. He promised to “lay Babylon waste” because “the Lord is a God of recompense; he will surely repay.”

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. It is the glory of the Lord to take care of evil and He sometimes does it with mercy. His instructions to me stand; to be like Jesus, I must obey them from the heart:

1 Peter 3:9–17. “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For ‘whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’ Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”