Feeling so wronged you can do not wrong just might be the genesis of all evil; in fact we see this in the book of Genesis. Think about how the subtle serpent convinced Adam & Eve that God wronged them by putting them in a subservient position to himself before they would break the one and only commandment given to them. Genesis 3:5 “God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really going on. You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.”
Once Eve believed that God was actually petty and had treated her accordingly she was free to do as she pleased. Of course what appeared in her mind as a moment of enlightenment was actually a slide into darkness; not only for her but the human race. Now, as a species we generally think if we can prove to ourselves that we are offended, disrespected or hurt, the obligation of righteousness and civility are lifted.
Micah Johnson was upset about the fatal police shootings of Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana; as he should have been, but he crossed the line from simply feeling wronged to “feeling so wronged he could do not wrong.” Gavin Long’s mother said, “he would lose it over police shootings;” so he crossed the line of “feeling so wronged he could do no wrong.” By the way, feeling one has been wronged is not evil at all; in fact it is often the beginning of a legitimate cry for justice. There’s no goodness or Godliness in being a doormat or a willing victim of injustice.
I’m confident none of you are going to justify homicide but what about the more subtle responses to “feeling so wronged you can do no wrong.” We withhold helpfulness and affection from our spouse or even commit sexual immorality? I usually find some subtle form of self pity at the root of marital infidelity. What about the cutting, critical and even vicious conversation we engage in about others based on how clearly we feel they wronged us? What about the abandonment of people and the breaking of promises because we feel our church or civil organization didn’t serve us well, didn’t embrace the cause we held dear or didn’t let us play the role we saw ourselves in.
Whether you call yourself a Christian or not, may I interest you in a counter cultural doctrine called the Gospel (GOOD NEWS!) of Jesus Christ. At it’s very core the Gospel teaches where there is wrong we offer redemption, not more wrong. The heart of the Gospel is that we respond to hate with love, rudeness with graciousness, and sin with righteousness. The Gospel is what Mother Emmanuel AME church of Charleston S.C. demonstrated when they chose to forgive Dylan Roof after he opened fire during a Wednesday night Bible Study a year ago last June; killed their beloved Pastor and eight other precious church members.
The benchmark of the Gospel is that the one who was right died for the sins of those who were wrong; without this response we have no Gospel and the religion called Christianity wouldn’t exist. This is why a well known theologian said the greatest theological truth known to man is “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
A legitimate response to my point of rejecting retaliation is, “are you saying we should not demand justice?” I am not saying that at all. Loving those who hurt us while calling them into account are not incompatible. The Bible actually teaches that it is our obligation to “warn the wicked” and “reprove, rebuke, and exhort” people who are behaving badly. But before you call for justice you must put aside a spirit of offense. Life works best when you and I live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
May we spread the Gospel and show the world there aren’t just two alternatives: one being that we embrace retaliation and the other, that we embrace victimhood. May we embrace the third way of the Gospel, which is to call wrong wrong, but let our offenders know they are safe with us.
