Be a Tattletale
Psalms 135:14 NIV
"For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants."
"Mommy sister hit me!" Is a phrase I often hear. Though the context relates a little differently with my girls (being that my oldest is 3.5yo and my youngest, or "sister," is only 1.5yo), they've got the right idea. If one wrongs the other in some way, whether it's hitting, or stealing the other's toy, the one who has been wrong usually comes running to me to tell me they're upset. Sometimes, however, they will take matters into their own hands and an all-out war will break loose, leaving mom to break it up. When this happens, they both usually get punished instead of just the one who is in the wrong. When the one who has been hurt comes to me first, though, nine times out of ten only the perpetrator is punished. Why me, though? Why do they come to me? Well, other than to thoroughly drive me nuts (ha!), they come to me because I keep the score. I can pretty quickly come to know who the right and wrong party is (because I know each girl very well) and fairly punish them.
Similarly, we are to come to Jesus when we have been wronged in some way. We are to never take matters into our own hands because we could easily allow ourselves to fall into the pit of sin. We do not hold all of the answers and we do not know the hearts of anyone else. The Lord, however, does. Like a mother knows her children, the Lord knows us. When we try to punish our perpetrator, instead of allowing Jesus to be our vindicator, we may consequently do it unfairly. What Jesus tells us we should do instead is, "If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them." (Luke 6:29 NIV). We are to choose the road less traveled, just as Jesus did, and allow him to handle our enemy as he feels fit. I have always found in doing so, their punishment is fairer than you could've even thought to do on your own. In return, the Lord's compassion and blessings will flow over you because he is loving and just.
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