Psalm 35:15-28
February 5
Which would you rather be,
vindictive or vindicated? When we are wronged, we have a desire to be
vindictive and hurt those who have hurt us. That is understandable. It is what
we see in the Old Testament. We not only want to get mad…we want to get even!
However, we Christians are under
obligation to follow the New
Testament. The call of Jesus is not for Him to get on our side, but rather for
us to get on His side. The
resurrection allows us to see things from a heavenly perspective. We don’t have
to win every argument. We don’t have to retaliate against our enemies. We do
not have to defend ourselves if we are on God’s side.
We were told to turn the other
cheek by the very man whose beard was plucked out of his own cheeks. Jesus told
us to give our shirt and cloak, and then stripped down barebacked to have his
own flesh flailed. We are called to go the second mile, following the man who
walked to his own execution, carrying his cross until he could carry it no
more.
Paul shamed those who sued their
fellow believers before unbelievers in court, saying, “Why do you not choose to
be cheated?” (1 Cor. 6:7). When Jesus was reviled, he did not revile in return because
He trusted God (1 Pet. 2:23). The psalmist ends no longer pointing to his
wrongs but God’s righteousness.
The true follower of Christ finds
that the best way to “get even” is to forgive as we have been forgiven.
