Revenge is a disposition of the devil, and, sadly, it is embodied by most societies and cultures today, including the one in which we live.  Revenge is sometimes the first thought that enters a person’s mind when he is mistreated by someone.  “If you push me, I am going to push you back,”   is the thinking of most people.

Charles Allen said that there are four ways to respond to someone who harms us:  1) If he hurts me, I will hurt him more — that is vindictiveness.  2)  If he hurts me, I will hurt him the same way — that is retaliation.  3)  If he hurts me, I will ignore him and have nothing to do with him — that is disdain.  4)  If he hurts me, I will love and serve him — that is the way of Christ.

This fourth way is unique.  It is practiced by very few people in the world today, but it is the way the Bible exhorts us to live.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

Paul taught this same principle to the saints in Rome. 

Romans 12:17 (ESV)
¹⁷  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

While Paul wrote this by inspiration, he also knew it because he was well-versed in the scriptures.  Proverbs 20:22 says, “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.”  Then in chapter 22, Solomon wrote, “Do not say, ‘I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.’”  The message is clear—no matter what the world is doing, and how it thinks, as Christians, revenge is always off the table.

It is enough for God’s children to know that He will handle all the injustice that is done to us in this world.  Paul said, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God…”  When we do that, we can now go about our business doing what is honorable in the sight of all.  What is honorable?  We do not have to guess because Paul addresses that as well.

Romans 12:14 (ESV)
¹⁴  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

And then…

Romans 12:20 (ESV)
²⁰  To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…”

This is the way of Christ.  In teaching, Jesus said, “…Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).  In practice, “When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).  Let us follow the steps of our Savior.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.