Apologies can be so sweet, especially when I have been waiting and waiting for the person to say they are “so sorry” for what they did! I relish a good and thorough apology and may even ask some questions to make sure it’s a true and correct statement of what was done to hurt me! I might just say something like this, “Okay, thanks for your apology, but I think there’s a bit more you could add to that apology, surely you must agree? What about when you also did X, Y, or Z – don’t you want to say you’re sorry for those things too?”
If only I could write the apology language for someone who has hurt me! “Sign right here, get this notarized, and your apology will be official and legally binding!” Wouldn’t that be even sweeter than the hurting person’s own weak words? Maybe so, but would it be real, honest, or genuine? Not likely.
My question today is this: what should I do when a hurtful person does not confess, repent, or even come close to admitting that they ever did something to hurt me? One human reaction is to strike back; you hurt me, I will hurt you! Another human reaction is to distance myself from the hurtful person; now you see me, now you don’t!
There is a very intriguing verse in Deuteronomy which says, “Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, in due time their foot will slip; for the day of their disaster is at hand, and their doom hurries to meet them!” [Deuteronomy 32:35 Amplified Bible]. And then in Romans we see what Paul, the Hebrew scholar, thought of this verse: “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.” [Romans 12:19 NLT].
So, the bottom line for God-fearing Christians is this when it comes to striking out at an unrepentant person who has hurt me: Leave To God The Avenging! Maybe a whole lot easier said than done, right? But if it is done, our life could be a whole lot less stressful. After all, who do I really think I am to start doing God’s job for Him! I encourage you to think about anyone you hold a “vengeance-grudge” against, and then Leave To God The Avenging. After all, He will get it done right as it needs to be done. I will mess it up every time!
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