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Day 215 Proverbs 20:22 Proverbs 20:22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee. Everyone goes through times of trouble when someone does something and you want to defend your honor with your own brand of justice. Have someone come against your children and you are ready to fight tooth and nail for them, exacting the same or worse vengeance against them they did to you. I have heard the saying ‘mamma bear is coming out if anyone does anything against my kids.’ People get into more trouble exacting their own vengeance instead of waiting on God to take care of the matter for them. Solomon knew the scripture from the Law of Moses that vengeance belonged to God, and admonished people to allow God to take care of them instead of taking matters into their own hands. Deuteronomy 32:35 To me belongs vengeance, and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. Paul reiterated God’s command to the Romans. Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. As Christians, you were taught to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In other words, if you want people to be nice to you, be nice to them, don’t do anything you don’t want done to you. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the people they were to love their enemies, pray for them and bless those that persecute them. Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Do you want to set yourself apart from those around you? Be nice to them. Smile and let them know you care about them, and they will start seeing you’re not cut from the same cloth as the rest of the world, and will start treating you with respect instead of trying to harm you. Solomon lived in a time of tyranny and conspiracy. He found it in his own family as well as in the world around him. He even exacted vengeance, though he knew what the Law taught. He knew firsthand that God would take care of the situation if he stood back and allowed him to. His problem and ours is stepping back and allowing God to take care of us. Our first instinct is to strike while the fire is hot before anything else happens. Instead, we are to step back. We are to seek God’s face and pray for his help when things go wrong. Let’s pray: Father, help me step back and allow you to take care of me when Satan comes my way, bringing trouble with him, trying to harm me. Remind me that vengeance belongs to you and you will take care of me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 11 April 2017 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay