Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I’ll take revenge; I’ll pay them back, says the Lord” (Rom.12:19). “Resentment kills a fool” (Job. 5:2). “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger…” (Eph. 4:31-32). “Love much because you have been forgiven much.” (Lk.7:47).
Heavenly Father, help us. We live in a cultural moment of extreme distrust, constant suspicion, and guilt by association. Not every Russian is a land-grabbing communist. Not every social worker is Left, liberal, and “woke.” Not all Republicans wear big-lettered red caps and hate immigrants. Not every person who identifies as “Christian” is born again, loves Jesus, seeks his Kingdom’s increase more than their country’s greatness. Abba, humble us. Gentle us.
Through the power of your Holy Spirit, the resources of the Gospel, and the gift of community—give us big hearts, thick skin, and heavenly wisdom. May the Gospel be more compelling and life shaping than our fears are crippling and meanness-fueling. Don’t let our appropriate concerns slide into destructive thoughts, words, and revenge. Getting even never levels the playing field; it heightens the rhetoric, fuels more meanness, and prolongs the conflict.
We don’t want our vulnerable hearts to become gardens of deeply rooted bitterness which grow thriving hedges of hate. Free us to build more bridges of grace than we throw grenades of hate. Make Jesus’ beauty more defining than our anxieties. We pray for the peace of Israel, Ukraine, Gaza, Russia, and the continent of our own hearts. We crave the Day when wolves and lambs will feast together; and Republicans, Independents, Democrats, and None-Of-These will love as Jesus loves us. So Very Amen.