Thursday, December 1, 2022

December 1, 2022

Being unresponsive to insults, while constantly being the target of hateful actions and not doing anything about it, is something that can be difficult to live with—at least for me. I don’t know about you, but I want to retaliate. The good news is we know that Jesus lived a perfect life free of sin and retaliation. Because of our sinful nature, we can’t. However, when we become his followers, we can learn to be more like him, and in the process, learn to bless our persecutors instead of emulating them.

1 Peter 2:23 NIV
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

Jesus was judged and insulted and assaulted for US. He didn’t have to do it; we certainly didn’t deserve it. But he did it anyway, and he didn’t complain or back down. Now that is how I wish I could live life! 

If I’m being honest, sometimes when I’m full of anger or frustration, I’m quick to threaten and retaliate, but because I am a child of the one true God, I know better and am trying to do better. We all need to remember man is fallible, but God is not. So when we slip and fall, we don’t have to get upset, because we have been forgiven. We are new creations in Christ.

In last weekend’s message, we saw Richard from the movie King Richard overcome his basic urge to return evil with evil. It reminded me of an event from my past. 

I played basketball for one year when I was in junior high. It’s probably a good thing that I only played one season. I had an attitude problem and was quick to anger in my younger days.

Exodus 21:23-24
23 “But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,...”

I had a tendency to play like my favorite “bad boy” players in the NBA. I can’t remember all the details, but during one of my games, a player fouled me with an elbow to a sensitive area. The ref didn’t see it—“of course not!”—I thought. So, with an “eye-for-an-eye” mentality, I took it upon myself to return an elbow for the elbow I received. 

I chased the other play down from mid-court and did some type of flying elbow move that everyone saw. Deservedly, I was called for the one-and-only technical foul my team received that year, if my memory serves correctly. In the moment, it felt great. But I soon regretted it—I knew better. I never should have sought my own revenge.

Romans 12:19
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.

My basketball career ended as fast as it began. Perhaps if I had focused on scoring rather than settling scores, I would have gone further. 

Today, I try to live more like Jesus teaches us to. Rather than return the same punishment, I choose to forgive and move forward.

Colossians 3:13
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Questions: 

Do you seek your own revenge when others wrong you? What can you do rather than return anger for anger? 

Next Steps: 

Read and reflect on 1 Peter 2:18-25.

If you feel you’ve been wronged, talk to someone about how you feel and pray for a peaceful resolution. Try to reach out to the person that wronged you. They might not even know what they have done to upset you.

Prayer: 

God, show me how to give up seeking revenge to you. It’s not mine to seek out; it belongs to you alone. Help me grow in maturity so that I don’t act out before I pray to you about what is upsetting me enough to look for revenge. I know you are the bringer of peace through your awesome Son. In his name I pray, amen.