Jonathan Munson, Executive Director
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” Romans 12:19
I couldn’t help but laugh at the doorbell videos that showed up in my feed.
As the thief snatched the package from their neighbor’s porch, the box exploded in a burst of paint and powder, splattering the would-be “porch pirate” in a rainbow of color. The homeowners had set a trap and caught the crook red-handed. Good for them, I thought.
There’s something oddly satisfying about watching moments like that, isn’t there? We enjoy seeing wrongdoers get what they deserve. That’s because inside all of us, there’s a natural urge for revenge, a desire to give someone a taste of their own medicine. If you hurt me (or try to steal my Amazon package), I’ll hurt you back. That’s just how the world works.
Sadly, I notice a similar pattern in my own life. When I do something wrong, I beg for mercy. Yet when someone wrongs me, I beg for justice. I want leniency for myself and punishment for others.
But what if God treated me the way I want to treat those who wrong me?
John Calvin said, “Revenge is a passion unbecoming the children of God,” and Scripture agrees. God’s Word couldn’t be clearer: we are never to take revenge, retaliate, or try to settle the score ourselves. Not even when the other person is clearly in the wrong, and every jury in every courtroom on the planet would agree we’re justified. Never means never.
And “never” also includes our sneakier, more subtle ways of revenge. In other words, we might not set a paint bomb as a trap on our porch, but that doesn’t mean we’re innocent. I, for one, prefer a more passive-aggressive approach to getting even —the silent treatment, withholding warmth and affection, sarcasm, or quietly rooting for someone’s downfall. While these actions might not be obvious “eye for an eye” revenge, they still break Jesus’ command to “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:38-39) and Paul’s command to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
No matter what form it takes, seeking revenge is an attempt to play God. In the great courtroom of life, we put our enemy on trial and assume the roles of prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner, as if justice belongs to us. But it doesn’t. The Lord alone is the perfectly righteous judge, and He has promised to right every wrong in His own time.
That’s why choosing not to retaliate is, and will always be, an act of faith. It’s a declaration of trust that one day, the Lord will do what He has promised to do. In the meantime, He asks us to break the cycle of getting even and to forgive as He has forgiven us, showing mercy to our fellow sinners who desperately need grace just as much as we do.
This kind of living isn’t natural. In fact, it’s only possible through daily dependence on the Spirit of God. Every urge for revenge is also an opportunity to die to that urge and trust God. It’s a chance to admit our weakness and ask for supernatural strength.
So, where do you need to practice your faith and die to your urge for revenge? In your marriage? At work? In a friendship?
Wherever it is, remember that although revenge might feel good in the moment, it will never give you the kind of relationships you desire. Blowing up a paint bomb might make for an entertaining video, but it’s a terrible way to live.
DIG DEEPER:
Read “What Does the Bible Say About Revenge?” at GotQuestions.org
