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“BITTERNESS AND
VENGEANCE” -
 
A lot of people
have a lot to say about how they've been mistreated,
or misjudged, or unjustly treated in some way or other.
There's a little tract which begins in this way: “A
small boy prayed, 'Lord, make all the bad people good,
and then Lord, make all the good people nice.'“
Well, unfortunately, many good Christian people aren't
nice.
A lady advertised
for a young woman to be her traveling companion, and
she closed the advertisement thus: “Christian
wanted-cheerful, if possible.” Evidently this woman
had found that some Christian souls lacked a cheerful
disposition. Well, sometimes we have to live with people
like that, and that seems to be the problem expressed in
many. Resentment building up in the heart, almost hatred.
Some people have a judging spirit towards the one who's
mistreating them, be it their husband, wife, in-laws,
relatives, co-workers, or friends.
In Matthew 7:1,
it says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
Let's be careful about that, for verse 2 says, “For
with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with
what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you
again.” That should make us a little more thoughtful
about the way we criticize others, for what you give will
be exactly what you receive.
Toward that
person whom you feel is so unjust to you, don't take
their judgment into your own hands. Better to be a
little hesitant about the judging, better to have mercy
on that person, for the Word states in
James
2:12,13b,
“So
speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the
law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy,
that hath showed no mercy.”
-It's
better to judge by the Law of Love, God's law.
The next verse is
even more sobering, Romans 2:1-4, which says,
“Therefore,
thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that
judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou
condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same
things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is
according to truth against them which commit such things.
And thinkest thou this, O man who judgest them which do
such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape
the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of His
goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing
that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance?”
It's an awful
thing to bear a grudge, or a critical spirit, or hatred
of another. If you are a professing Christian, it is
far better to forgive and forget that injustice that has
been done against you, than to have that condemnation of
God upon you. And these verses make it very plain just
what the reaping's going to be.
Don't take
vengeance into your own hands. Don't hit back. Don't
let bitterness creep into your heart. Nothing will so
ruin your disposition as to let bitterness get in the
heart. God's Word says,
Hebrews.12:15.
“Beware
lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and
thereby many be defiled.”
God will
take care of that person in due time, if you leave the
whole matter in His hands.
“To Me
belongeth vengeance, and recompense; their foot shall
slide in due time.”-Deut.32:35.
Better to
pity and love that one, for pity they will need when they
fall into the hands of an angry God, Who says,
“Vengeance
is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”-Rom.12:19.
Perhaps you feel
that you have to do something about the wrong that's been
done to you and the slandering you've suffered and
the cruel words that have been flung at you. You think
God's too slow, and you're going to have to take it in
your own hands and hurt them as they've hurt you, bring
vengeance on them.
But in so doing,
you'll only hurt yourself and disobey God, and get
out of His will and have a broken fellowship, and that's
going to make things a whole lot worse. The Lord knows
all about it, and He speaks with finality regarding your
forgiving that person, no matter how unfair it's all
been.
He says,
“But if ye forgive not men their t respasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”-Mat.6:15.
And Matthew
18:35 says, “So likewise shall My Heavenly Father do
also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every
one his brother their trespasses.”
But you can't do
it yourself, beloved. It's not in the natural. It has
to be the Spirit of Christ working in and through you.
“I can of my own self do nothing.” Lay the
whole problem at Jesus' feet, tell Him about it, and then
positively commit it to Him and leave it wi th Him. Then
He'll begin to work. This isn't what you feel like doing,
but this is what the world needs to see: God's love
manifested through His born-again children.
This is a true
test of discipleship, as Jesus said, “By this
shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have
love one to another.”-Jn.13:35.
It's God's
love working through you as you yield it all to Him.
It'll be a miracle if you can love that person, a miracle
of God's grace, with which He'll supply you.
This is the Law
of Love. He waits to help you; He wants to. When you
ask Him for His help, there will be no veil nor cloud
between you and Him, and He can work out through you the
full purpose of His will and plan for your life, because
it's utterly surrendered to Him with all of its problems
and things which harass you. God knows about it and He
cares and He loves you.
Perhaps this
isn't entirely applicable, but a little girl left a note
on a tree. She had been abused in an orphan's home,
nobody liked her and she was just impossible. So they
went out to see what the note said which she'd left,
because it was against the rules of the Home. And this is
what it said: “To anybody who finds this note, I
love you.” Oh, that's the spirit to have, to love
everybody as God loves you.
The love of God is
greater far
Than tongue or pen
can ever tell;
It goes beyond the
highest star
And reaches to the
lowest hell.
The guilty pair,
brought down with care,
God gave His Son to
win.
His erring ch ild He
reconciled
And saved us from
our sin.
O love of God, how
rich and pure,
How measureless and
strong.
It shall forever
more endure,
The saints' and
angels' song.
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