Fully Justified

1. There are times when people lie on you, talk bad about you, mistreat you, and use you to their advantage. It’s times like these when you want to fight back, speak your mind (or at least give them a piece of it), defend yourself, and avenge the wrong done to you. Even though many know that vengeance is the Lord’s and He’ll repay (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19), the feeling of self-vindication doesn’t seem to go away.

2. There are times when you want to see the other person or group pay for what they did! You want them to know that you were the WRONG PERSON to mess with and to think twice before doing it again! You want to see them squirm and beg for your mercy and forgiveness (Proverbs 24:17-18).

3. Don’t seek vindication and revenge by your own means. You must continue to trust in the Lord, serve Him, and treat those that mistreat you with love, mercy, and respect.

Romans 12:14-21 – Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Regardless of what others do to you, you still have a responsibility as servants of the Most High God to bless others.

Longing to see others suffer only keeps you bound to the evil, destruction, and sin that seeks dominion over your life. You can overcome anger! You can overcome suffering! You can overcome pain! You can overcome those that wrong you…WITH LOVE!

Acting in anger, hate, and revenge only hurts you; further strains relationships; masks your witness for Christ; and dwarfs your maturity and growth. You have very much to lose and little to gain trying to vindicate yourself!

4. Hurting people hurt others. Oftentimes, the people hurting you are acting out of some pain of their own. Pray for them and ask God to heal their brokenness so they might live in love and peace – within themselves, among others, and before God.

Matthew 5:39-48 – But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

^{Photo courtesy of Stock.XCHNG.com/emospada}