Romans 12:19-21

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. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Revenge is easy. It is the normal, natural, human response to being wronged or injustice you have experienced. Think about it, when you were a toddler and your sister took your toy, you pushed her. When you were on the playground and someone took your ball, you clocked ‘em upside the head. It continues as we get older and move to different parts of life.

It is part of political discourse, often used as an impetus to induce fear among people and earn their votes. It is part of corporate life, called sabotage, or, “it’s not personal. It’s business.” It is part of so many areas of life. It just becomes a commonly acceptable part of life we don’t often think about it. Revenge is something people have participated in because it’s what comes naturally.

People have a sense of right and wrong, naturally, and that usually means “what they think is right and wrong” or at least what they perceive to be right and wrong. People want wrongs corrected! People want that done immediately and to their satisfaction. Revenge is easy. It comes naturally. It feels right and normal.

Dear Christian, God has a different way to live and has called you to live in that way. Paul describes it in Romans 12. God calls us to leave revenge and repayment to him.

Your job? Repay evil with good. Find your enemy who wronged you and feed them. Find the person who lambasted you and forgive them. Find the person who has done wrong against you and repay him or her with love.

Why? Because that is exactly what Jesus did! On the cross, his first words about his enemies were, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” When he rose from the dead, he didn’t call his disciples to find Pilate and the Roman soldiers in order to flog, crucify, and bring down retribution on them. He told them to go preach the good news to all people that he had died to pay for all sins. Heaven was now open. Jesus didn’t look for ways to bring revenge, but rather sought to change hearts with humility, love, and compassion. That’s because Jesus wants to pay for people’s sins and is willing to take that burden on himself. He wants people in heaven and we get to bring that message to people.

Dear Christian, God has called you away from the petty name calling and revenge the world is so good at. That way of life and thinking is beneath you and behind you. God has a higher calling for you, to be like Jesus and repay evil with love and good.