Dear friend, ………
What can I say? A dark, rainy kind of afternoon. A long day. Tired. Too much chocolate. Sugar crash. Lots of ministry day after day. I have quite the imagination. Making up little stories with my beloved handicapped ministry doggies just happens. But what started as one of my silly little short-lived conversations with the doggies quickly turned into something else. This message.
I had just found out I had been deceived by two big New York City businesses making loads of money who had used false advertising to lure me in and take advantage of me. Mr. Simeon and Miss Mercy are just my sweet doggies. Evil people doing evil things – that’s a different matter. A matter I should take into my own hands, right?
Actually, I did what the Lord placed on my heart to do. Not to be mean to the mean people. But to forgive them and entrust them to Him. Vengeance isn’t mine. It’s His. They will be held accountable. They may think they’re getting away with their evil practices and lack of love and care. But ultimately unless they repent they will be held accountable by the Lord Jesus Christ. So I needed to forgive – and pray for them. And let the Lord be the judge, let Him bring the conviction, and, if necessary, the consequences for their wickedness.
Just because people are mean, and wrong, and wicked doesn’t mean we should be the same in return. We need to love, forgive, and place them in the hands of the Lord. The one who will judge. The one who will bring the rewards of righteousness – and of wickedness.
I love these powerful words about Jesus.”who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:23-24
“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:19