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Understanding Each Other (26)

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Understanding Each Other (26)

4 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

Rev. P. Van Ruitenburg, Chilliwack, BC

Reviled Not Again

“Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23).

Christ always controlled His responses to injustice. No matter what His accusers said to Him, no matter how they ridiculed Him, Christ left the judgment of it in the hands of His Father. None of us can compare with the Savior in this respect. When my child treats me unjustly, when I think that my wife acts in an unkind manner towards me, when my husband neglects me, or when a father is dishonest, we are usually quick to let one of them know about it.

Anger or wrath?

Did Christ ever show His anger? Yes, we read about His holy indignation at those who had made the house of His Father into a house of merchandise. He was also angry with the Pharisees who pretended to be pious but who, in the meantime, were miserly and sinned just as much as others. In itself being angry is not wrong, and you may let people know when you are deeply disappointed. Alas, anger often turns into retribution. We want to hurt the other person by putting him in his place with a few well-chosen words. This often results in an argument. It can occur in families even between people who love each other very much. When it happens too often between husband and wife, they can grow apart from each other in a short time. With Christ it was different; He never scolded in return.

“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).

“But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth” (Psalm 38:13).

God’s patience

We must change and break from this cycle of anger and retribution. Even when the other party does something wrong, we should not retaliate. Perhaps the other person didn’t mean it in the way we perceive it or we are too sensitive. Even if the other person consciously wanted to say something unkind to us, let us follow the example of Christ who never reviled again. Allow your husband, wife, or children to have their say and react calmly. Must you allow them to walk all over you? Well, you could say that it hurts to hear the unkind words or the unfair accusations, and you could ask if they could say things differently or discuss the matter later. Perhaps you are of the opinion that by doing so, you let them “walk” over you, but that is not so; you are then fulfilling the biblical proverb, “A soft answer turneth away wrath.”

We should never take vengeance. You can punish your children as long as it is not in retaliation. Neither should you take revenge on your husband or wife. Let us bear in mind that God, the Lord, is “slow to anger” and “plenteous in mercy.” It is exactly His mercy (goedertierenheid: a meaningful Dutch word for a combination of love, faithfulness, and goodness) that breaks the heart of sinners. Christ conquers the heart of hostile sinners with His love. He stretches His arms out to a people that provoke Him continuously. It is to be hoped that we personally may have learned that God has much patience, and those who know something of Christ will, if it is well, begin to conform to His image.

“I have spread out My hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts” (Isaiah 65:2).

“Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Romans 2:4).

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van zondag 1 februari 2009

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