“Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the LORD, and He will avenge you.” Proverbs 20:22 (NIV)
I have heard so many times that “revenge is sweet.” In the secular world, statements of such a nature describe how we may feel when someone has wronged us, and we set out to see that the perpetrator is punished and pay for their wrongdoing. However, being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), implies that we should possess that innate sense of justice and fairness because God is just and fair; our desires should be for wrongs to be righted.
Yet, we are apt to overreact to how we are wronged by others. We can get caught up in the heat of the moment and repay the wrongdoer way more than is due because of our anger. The fact is our pursuit of vengeance can never fully satisfy us. We cannot make others answer completely for their crimes; that is the sanction of God alone.
The principles in Proverbs 20:22 reminds us not to act hastily to repay the evil done against us personally; rather, we are to wait for the Lord’s deliverance. It is noteworthy not to confuse this with a principle that is supposed to guide the judicial system, for the Lord specifically instituted a government to punish evil (Romans 13:1–7). But the principles that God revealed for the government are not to be applied to every single offense we endure. Jesus tells us this in His teaching against revenge in Matthew 5:38–42.
There are some wrongs that we encounter in our daily lives that are relatively insignificant, we are not to seek vengeance. It may result in us being hurt and bitter and prevent the peace of God from enfolding us. Even if we do get vengeance, it won’t be satisfying because the truth is, only God can judge perfectly. Trusting the Lord to recompense our wrongs is an antidote to avoiding bitterness. If we believe that He will finally set things right, anger will not consume us when those who wrong us seem to escape what they are due. Wait on the LORD!
Pray
Heavenly Father, forgive us for thinking we can avenge wrongs done to us. We know Your Word calls us to be known for our love for our enemies and for each other in Matthew 5:43-48 and John 13:34-35. We choose to love without seeking vengeance for every wrong that is done to us. We trust You, Lord. We choose to be patient just like You are patient with us, and we thank You Holy Spirit for enabling us not to seek vengeance. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Read: Romans 13:1-7; Matthew 5: 38–42; John 13: 34-35
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 102:1-11; I Corinthians 15:1-34; 2 Chronicles 16; 2 Chronicles 17; 2 Chronicles 18:1-27
