Be Careful; Vengeance Is God's

He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come back on him.
He found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
He wore cursing as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like a belt tied forever around him.
May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil of me.
                                          (Psalm109:17-20 NIV)

Vengeance is the LORD's.  I have learned over the years that it is not my place to take vengeance on those who accuse me.  God will take care of me. He will take care of those who are falsely accused or accosted. He will take care of those who falsely accuse or unjustly attack others. No, I am not a pacifist. I definitely will defend others when they are attacked. There are times when we need to defend ourselves. There are times when we need to seek assistance from the law. However, there are also times, I think, that we should step back when it is we who are being attacked and let go and let God, as the saying goes.

Years ago when I was very young, I was selling insurance door to door.  At one home, a man, arrogant and full of deceit attempted to assault me.  I was pretty shaken, but I got away unharmed.  I wanted to press charges.  A co-worker, an older Christian man, talked me into not doing that. The man who had attempted to harm me was pretty wealthy and well known in the community.  I was a stranger.  He was a local politician. I was an insurance salesman. "Do nothing, he said. Who are the authorities going to believe? Let us pray together and leave the vengeance to God.  Let us pray that the evil he intended upon you return to him." So we did.

Did God answer our prayers?  You tell me.  The following week, while the man was at work, his  wife left him. With his new convertible filled with his precious electronics in the trunk, she and her boyfriend sped away from the house and wrecked his vehicle. It hit the newspapers. The car and the contents were totaled. His wife and her boyfriend were unharmed, but his ego was definitely done in. He was no longer the prideful man he had been the week before.

Sure, there are still days when I would like to take vengeance.  But, I learned that day, almost forty years ago, to leave vengeance to God. He will take care of me. He always has. Why would He not continue?

Remember, your curses against others are prayers. Prayers that just might return and turn upon you. Watch what comes out of your lips - prefer blessings to curses - as what you do to others may be done to you.

"He loved to pronounce a curse—may it come back on him." (vs 17)

God's blessings and peace - Pr. J