God's Ways

Romans 12:19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
Matt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

It seems like the motto of our time is "Somebody has to pay." We are in a culture where accidents are prosecuted. Everything is prosecuted. If something bad happens, somebody must be punished. It's a shame they can't put hurricanes and tornadoes in jail because these prosecution hungry people would do that too. We must blame someone.

A car skids on the ice and someone is hurt, our bloodthirsty culture is demanding more than payment for damages, they want somebody to go to jail or worse. And they want millions of dollars to boot.

A kid does something stupid or misbehaves in some way that causes harm to himself or others, somebody must have been negligent and some adult must pay and be prosecuted. As adults in this culture, most of us are falling for this garbage hook, line and sinker. We forget that as children we did stupid things and sometimes got hurt and it was our own fault!

Thirty years ago our culture still allowed for accidents and did not prosecute every little thing for either profit or revenge. We have gone crazy and taken leave of our senses.

I cannot speak for other religions, but those who call themselves Christians and fancy themselves to be faithful are sinning against Jesus when they seek revenge or do not practice mercy. Our scriptures are very clear, if you do not show mercy, you will not be shown mercy. If you do not forgive, the Lord will not forgive you. If you seek revenge, you are sinning against God. These things have no place in the Christian life.

If a person who calls themself a Christian is hard nosed and hard hearted, they are doing much more damage to the body of Christ than a pagan who doubts there is a God but shows mercy. I am ashamed of anyone who serves on a jury who is a hothead without mercy, or even worse, cold and calculating and without mercy. Paul says something about people being blights at the love feast. Sounds about right.

The tares among the wheat that Satan planted will continue in the churches parading as believers like wolves in sheeps clothing. They will try to convince believers that their lack of love for one another is what Christ really meant. They will be vengeful, lacking mercy and kindness, and stirring people up against one another. They will try to redefine words so that bad is good and good is bad. They will twist scripture to make it mean what they want. Those who do not read and study scripture will be decieved.

Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another." Love does not seek revenge on anybody, no matter what the world says is right. That's the world, not Christianity. Love is merciful. The world, the courts, the schools, politics and other areas are not merciful. That is no excuse for Christians not to be merciful. They do not have to go along. True Christians are called to be different and to stand out, not to blend in.

Remember a question many moms used to ask kids who wanted to go along with the others? If everybody else jumped off a cliff, would you do it to? Following the world in revenge, lack of mercy and insisting that someone pay is the equivalent to jumping off a cliff. It is sin and it has no place in the Christian's life. No excuses. You can't lie to God about it. He knows and you are going to be in BIG trouble kiddo. Ultimately, the "somebody" who has to pay will be YOU standing before God if you are merciless and vengeful. Cut it out for your own sake and live like a true Christian. He's taking names. He died for them too.