Romans 12:19, Avenge Not Yourselves

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

The Apostle Paul urged the believers who suffered wrong to not take matters into their own hands to use carnal means to avenge the hurt they have suffered. Rather, to seek the Lord’s intervention through prayer.

I was once sorely provoked while on a bus trip home after a preaching assignment. A man took my seat. When I told him, he refused to move. All the seats in the bus are numbered. I cannot take another’s seat. I went to the driver. The driver confronted the man. He was chided by his wife. Still he refused to move. I was fuming mad. I was tired and needed a rest.

I confronted the man outside the bus. He refused to barge and the driver, a big size man, told me to leave him alone and he will assign me another empty seat on the upper deck. The man was a little drunken. I had to overcome myself not to go all the way to demand my right to the seat and take my luggage and walk to the upper deck.

Thank God for granting me the calmness of mind to let the matter rest, trust God to deal with this bully and not jeopardise my return journey to Singapore. I slept soundly that night reaching my destination the next morning. Upon alighting, the man was no longer there. I have not seen this man since. I entrusted the righting of my wrong to the Lord and had peace in my heart.

Thank God for His grace. Amen.