Justice or Justification?

“Life is simply too short and too valuable to waste it on fights and ungraceful grudges. We understand that conflict is part of this path, but we refuse to linger long there because the cancer of resentment and vengeance devours a heart that's made for joy. While every person will die, too few truly live the life for which they were created, and so we let go of anger and the will to be right in order to attain a greater destiny.”

This was in an email I received this week and it resonated. It’s a beautiful description of the walk I have been on for quite some time, and a key area that God has been refining my perspective. I’ve written before about the effects of a bitter heart and when your character is called into question (you can find those posts HERE and HERE). So the draw to write was a bit confusing since this has been covered previously...what new thing does God want me to identify in this moment?

For so long, I thought that being right or justified somehow meant I should get my way. I should be excused from my behavior because I was righting a wrong, and in a lot of ways I think I probably was typically excused because society/the world agreed with me. But that didn’t mean I was excused by God.

2 Samuel 11-12 recount the dramatic story of David and Bathsheba. Most people are familiar with this story – David sees Bathsheba on the rooftop when he should be at battle, summons her, lays with her, gets her pregnant, and then kills her husband after failed attempts to cover it up. When we read that story, we see David sinning against pretty much everyone, but especially (and at a minimum) Bathsheba, Uriah, and Joab – all of whom he coerced into his plan of deception. The thing about it is, David was a King, and kings of that time had the right to do everything that David did. In the eyes of his culture, he didn’t commit a sin – he did what he was allowed to do, and it was likely accepted by society.

And when the mourning was over, David sent and brough her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. – 2 Samuel 11:27b, emphasis mine

David violated God’s commands – not cultural laws. We see this in Psalm 51, David’s writing after Nathan the prophet called him out on his sin. What we likely skip over (I know I did) is this:

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight... – verses 3-4a, emphasis mine

David wasn’t repentant because he had sinned against any specific person involved, he was only repentant that he had sinned against God. (Remember this command? You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife… - Exodus 20:17)

What others think of our behavior, whether or not it’s justified by society, doesn’t matter at all. God speaks very clearly about his expectations of how we are to handle the wrongs committed against us.

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. – 1 Peter 3:9

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil... – Psalm 34:13-16a

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. – 1 Peter 3:14

Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you. – Proverbs 20:22

Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly. – Deuteronomy 32:35

I know what you’re saying – but it’s not as hard as it feels…and if it is, that says more about your walk than it does anything else. I would encourage you to question why you don’t trust God enough to handle whatever the situation is before you move forward on what you think its justice or justified.

This particular topic hasn’t been an issue of mine for quite some time now – I’ve actually found so much peace in learning to let things go. I’m not currently struggling with any unforgiveness, bitterness, or betrayal; not because there haven’t been opportunities, I just refuse to dwell in those things. I’m letting God deal with that; I don’t feel the need to be justified or right or even have part in the punishment that may come down the road.

I’ve learned a key indicator that you’re on the right track is when you look like the crazy one in the room. I’m sorry – trust me, I know how hard it is to feel like everyone thinks you’re nuts – but I’ve come to terms with it (even if it still is very uncomfortable) and I’ve learned to rely on that discomfort to let me know I’m probably on the right path. The way you solve conflict should look crazy – what the world has defined as acceptable is almost always a sin against God.

I'll admit this is a super shallow scratch on the surface of dealing with feelings of revenge, and I’m sure that we’ll broach this topic again – probably a few times – because what God says is so countercultural to what we have been taught. But I hope that this at least gets you thinking differently. Your justice is in the hands of an almighty, all-powerful God – what do you think you can do better than he can?