Don’t get your hands dirty, trust God will avenge you!
Recently, I created a Christian tee that says “God is my avenger”.
Simple as that.
The concept of that thought blew my mind. He, the God of the universe is my (and your) avenger.
We need God to avenge us often.
It essentially works better when He does the “avenging” work. When we try to handle our foes, we can create a massive mess – one that can cause lots of damage for years to come. Do you know what I mean? Yes, God will avenge you and do so properly. Leave it to Him.
We fight with the wrong tools and create collateral damage along the way. God will avenge you efficiently!
Why? Because we try to do things like the “world” does. I know why!
As Christians, we live on earth (that’s a no-brainer, right?)
We occupy on earth; we cultivate earth…so we were earth-dwellers, right? I said “earth-dwellers…not bottom-feeders”.
Sorry, I digress in my silliness.
Actually, “yes” we are, in fact, earthlings, but while we are in this place, we aren’t of this place called earth. Our citizenship is not really here. Our citizenship is heaven.
Although we live here, we don’t really “belong” here and should never get very cozy with these earthlings and how they do things.
So, does this make us “heaven-lings” instead of earthlings? Sorry, I digress again. Focus, Teri!
Anyway, while we live here we cannot do much else associated with living here.
We don’t respond to life as “earthlings” respond to it.
We have another core strategy altogether.
One created by the heavenly Father Himself!
One example of how we do NOT behave like “earthlings”.
For example, when others attack, earthlings attack right back. Young people call this a “clap back.”
Us?
No, we don’t clap back. Instead, we pause, pray and respond with love as we are commanded.
We even try to diffuse the situation with a kind word like it says in Proverbs 15:15: “A soft answer turneth away wrath:”
Don’t test me, though.
Sometimes… this works better than other times.
When I’ve been verbally attacked or treated badly, I’ve had some success handling my responses.
I’ll bet you have too.
Success (for me) was when my response was gentle and completely squashed a potential argument.
Other times, I’ve had to appeal to a higher authority so no one would get “snatched”. No, I’m not above wanting to “shake” people. It’s human. But, I don’t.
You know what I mean. Instead of retaliating in the natural realm, I needed to pray and allow God to handle things for me.
I needed God to be my Avenger!
People just wanted to test me! They wanted to push my buttons!
They wanted a good fight and part of me wanted to deliver it.
Don’t judge, you’ve been there too! Right? Please say yes.
Some people don’t want peace.
It really depends on the other person. You’ve got some people who want nothing more than to be a mean face and aggravate you. They do it intentionally.
Maybe they are racists, sexists, dark-hearted, bitter, or just plain mean. Whatever the issue, they want trouble and were in a position to deliver it. A soft answer won’t work with them. They want trouble.
To summarize: I’ve had times when either I wasn’t smart enough to respond kindly (yes, I admit it) or the other person was simply not willing to be reasonable. That’s when I needed my Avenger so desperately!
Enter my Avenger – Jesus!
It’s during those times; I need to let God avenge me. I turn to Him to fix the situation. I also need Him to do it before I jump in and create a bigger problem.
If it were not for the Holy Spirit, I would have terminally injured relationships. I have a very nimble tongue. In other words, my biting wit can verbally “cut” and cut deeply. But, for the grace of God.
Here are a couple of scriptures in your Biblical “contract” to affirm this beautiful security we have in Jesus Christ.
“O LORD our God, You answered them; You were a forgiving God to them, And yet an avenger of their evil deeds.” Psa 99:8
“That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 1 Thess 4:6
God is well and able to handle all my battles.
“…Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15
See, God is more than able to avenge you and me of evil-doers.
The best part, He is so loving that He can deliver them and be gracious to them.
God does avenge you!
Either way, whatever way He chooses, He avenges us and ensures we are restored, justified, and treated the right way according to His big plan.
It’s better to trust Him in the end.
Huh? I don’t need to fight?
Say what?
No need for me to put on my boxing gloves?
I don’t need my brass knuckles? No mace is needed in the supermarket?
I’m joking.
No, I don’t need to do much at all to avenge myself.
All I need is to trust God to avenge me and to be my Vindicator.
Is this easier said than done?
Is it even possible to do? What are your thoughts?
