Justifying Revenge

SCHOOL: A young student came up to me the other day complaining a class mate had punched him. When questioning the other student he reasoned the first student was stomping on his hat. Thus, he could quite justify breaking the school rules and hurting another student because of what had been done to him.

HOME: Parents would know that siblings will often come running up with one complaining that the other had done something wrong to them, only to find out that the other was retaliating from a previous wrong they had received.

YOU: If someone does something wrong to you, how quick are you able to justify not “loving your neighbour” because of hurts and needing some form of compensation or revenge? If we are brutally honest with ourselves we all do it from time to time, although usually more subtly like the occasional, casual word casting suspicion or doubt on someone else because of what they have done to us.

APOSTLES: Even the apostles where not immune to justifying revenge: “ And [Jesus] sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.” (Luke 9:52-56)

JESUS: James and John could justify destroying a whole village just because they felt indignant and offended that they and Jesus were rejected and not welcomed. But what did Jesus do …… walked away!

PAUL: When rivalry against Paul was trying to stir up trouble for him, Paul’s response was; “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”

US: We can take our example form Jesus and Paul by not taking offence, but keeping the peace, so that in every way Christ is preached and glorified. In Christ is our identity our value and our joy. May the joy of Christmas guide all you do and say at all times.

Blessings Mark