Read Leviticus 19:18 & Romans 12:19-21
In elementary school, there was a kid who said some pretty mean things to me one day. My feelings were hurt, and my mind immediately went to thinking about how I could get my revenge on him. I waiting until the timing was right and said some mean things back to him on the playground one day a recess. It didn’t fix anything. In fact, some of my other friends heard what I said and didn’t like it. Not only did I not make things better, I made things worse.
Somewhere along the way, we’ve begun to believe that we can settle the score by getting back at people who have hurt us. We think if we can make them feel what we felt or punish them for what they did to us, that things will go back to normal for us. Betrayal, envy, and revenge, however, never truly settles the score. God doesn’t allow life to just go back to normal. No matter what you do, scores never get settled with revenge. We think we can make things better by getting back at someone, but it usually just makes things worse.
It feels natural for us to try to get back at people or hurt them the way they hurt us, but God wants us to love people who have hurt us and bless those who have betrayed us. He knows that loving and helping people are truly the best way to live and that plotting revenge only makes things worse.
Is there someone you’ve been trying to get back at that you need to stop and forgive and move on?
READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT Today’s Reading: John 18
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