I remember being in college on a campus ministry leadership retreat where we were asked to act out different Scripture passages. One group got the passage about how kindness and love of enemy are like heaping burning coals on your enemy (Romans 12:20).
Their skit went something like this: A bully pushed a random person to the ground. The person who was pushed went to their friends, and they all decided to be fake-kind to the bully. So, they pretended to be nice to this person, but behind the bully’s back, they were mean and snarky (think “Mean Girls”). Then, shockingly, God came into the story and beat up the bully by pouring red-hot coals onto the bully. End of story!
Needless to say, I was a bit horrified by the skit. It didn’t seem to match the character of Jesus, but it was also pretty close to what I thought the Bible’s teaching on revenge was. I thought that I could still be mad and that one day God would beat up “the enemy” for me! It just seemed fair and right that justice was done. The Sermon on the Mount teaches a different story.
Jesus’ teachings and life show us a different way of living and being in the world. Revenge is based on a believed system of what is “right” and “fair.” The problem is that, by definition, grace and mercy are not fair. Grace is getting something you don’t deserve, and mercy is not getting something you do deserve.
In the economy of God’s kingdom, grace and mercy are the currency through which we interact with the world. That means forgiveness, love, sacrifice, and not seeking revenge. This does NOT mean we do not seek justice or righteousness. It means we trust that God’s justice, grace, and kingdom are better than any we could create on our own.
Receiving grace is an absolute gift. Extending grace (especially when we feel we have been wronged) is a difficult challenge! Living by grace means putting it all in God’s hands so he can do more than we could ever ask, think, or imagine. If we are to live, let it be by grace and grace alone!
Reflection:
- Where in your life do you feel wronged or want vengeance? Where do you hear God’s voice in those areas?
- What are the comforts and challenges of living by grace?