REVENGE

John Stott says this:

Retaliation and revenge are absolutely forbidden to the followers of Jesus. He himself never hit back in either word or deed. And in spite of our inborn retributive tendency, ranging from the child's tit for tat to the adult's more sophisticated determination to get even with an opponent, Jesus calls us instead to imitate him. From "The Message of Romans" (The Bible Speaks Today series: Leicester: IVP, 1994), p. 334.

I am trying hard to live this out. I am rather famous for punishing my professional enemies, or those who did me wrong, often after much time has passed. A few years ago, a non-Christian co-worker pointed out to me that it "wasn't very Christian". That hurt, especially when I admitted she was right. I had carved an except out for the practice of law. It isn't in the original text. Nothing at all about lawyers being entitled to revenge.

Right how, I am suffering through months of agony as some people do me wrong. I have a few moments of regret for my new course. I can think of some great ways to take revenge. But, instead I have committed to acting in a Christ-like manner through the whole process, even though it is taking forever.

Theology is not an abstract pursuit, however. We have to live what what know. We are called to glorify God, not to gratify self. I know, if you get your theology from television, this is a radical concept, but it straight from the mouth of God.

And there are no exceptions for your line of work either.