Getting Even

Getting Even

Never pay back evil with more evil. . . . Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD.

Romans 12:17-19

You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.

Matthew 5:38-39

“I’ll get you back!” we shout out loud or say under our breath to the person who has hurt or embarrassed us. We want those who hurt us to pay with pain—the kind of pain they caused us. This is what comes naturally to us.

But as believers we are not bound to do what comes naturally. The Holy Spirit supernaturally enables us to let go of that burning desire for revenge. We can let go of our plans to hurt someone back, confident that God notices the wrong done to us, that he sees the motives of those who hurt us more clearly than we do, and that he will settle all accounts with perfect justice.

Jesus taught that people should actually love their enemies. That’s hard! On the surface, it seems that Jesus was suggesting we choke back the basic sense of justice inside of us. But when Jesus said not to seek revenge, he wasn’t saying that justice won’t be done. He meant that God will take care of it.

And this is not something Jesus just said to do; it’s what he lived himself. “[Christ] did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly” (1 Peter 2:23). The most innocent man who ever lived suffered the most outrageous injustice ever experienced, and yet he refused to seek revenge. Instead, he turned it over to God because he knew God would do what is right. Jesus is our example to follow.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

How does it feel to get revenge against someone who hurt you?

What do you have to do to leave justice up to God?

What are some ways you can respond when you feel a passion to seek revenge?