Don’t they say “Living well is the best revenge !”  !?!  Well, it’s not necessarily quoting scripture because God is to revenge, not us, but indirectly it IS good to absorb that thought in a personal way as a stepping stone out of anger – of a good motivation to move past struggling with our current, past and future circumstances or even enemies. And this means that we essentially leave our past in the dust – even the past that we inflicted on ourselves – plus we leave our enemies’ influence behind us. We can live on better than best, because we realize that we are OK (don’t sweat the small stuff). Is it revenge? WELL, maybe that is not what we need to say is our motivation because revenge entails a jealousy in ourselves to be in a better spot. Let’s just say we want to LIVE WELL and GROW from our current circumstances.

Scripture actually says a lot about enemies including: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”  – Wow, Roman’s 12 says SO MUCH – really worth a read (see below). Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – This IS an ENCOURAGEMENT TO GROW – applying Jesus forgiveness into our lives.

Isaiah, the prophet of the Old Testament times (in a divided set of kingdoms of Israel and Judah who were both fighting with various enemies left behind because they didn’t completely settle the Promised Land exactly like God asked them too) was looking towards promised times in the future – getting the people of the day to repent from their wicked ways (a theme throughout the Old Testament) and move forward – AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO GROW. Isaiah spoke of Jesus foretold, a Savior coming out of the stump of the tree of Jesse through the house of David and His Love (and corrections) stretching out the front door into the rest of the world. Isaiah learned and prophesied about Jesus coming from what God told him to write – and Isaiah learned that only the redeemed would be able to re-joined into this Divine Vine. Jesus Himself said “I am the Vine – you are the branches – Our Father is the Vinedresser”. Jesus redeems us.

GROW. We have a great amazing ability to be the fruit-bearing tree from Jesus’s Line. We have encouragement to Grow – and this also includes forgiving our enemies and moving forward.  This also is us bearing fruit for the world to see that God is active in our lives.

Ah this truth is like the praise band song that we used to sing from Psalm 1 – “I will delight in the Law of the Lord – I will meditate day and night – Then like a tree firmly planted I’ll be – Grounded in Your Word.” I LOVE that song – I have the lyrics posted on my wall. “Bless-ed is the one who follows the Way of the Lord – Bless-ed is the one.”

Following in the Way of the Lord is really our best way – loving our enemies is so tough but that is how we GROW – take the command of forgiveness and perhaps try to apply sadness of their lostness – or self-correction of our self-centeredness. And if we have trouble with that forgiveness, even of forgiving ourselves, perhaps we best simply ask Jesus to apply forgiveness for us – and to rescue us from the tough dormant state of not growing more. 

Instead of saying: “Living well is the best revenge” – they should say: “Forgiveness is the best amend”. We are to know that forgiveness really is free-ing. That IS the Way God works – we get closest to God by being forgiven of our humanness. We are “saints-becoming” (as a friend would say) because of our “grounded-ness” in the Word and springing of Jesus inside us Grows us in that restored state of God’s lineage Line and His Vine. 

Let us let Jesus flow thru us and replenish the parched spots in our souls with the Living Water of the Lord. ENCOURAGEMENT TO GROW.

Amen

(and please read these 4 scripture passages – amazing how they “GROW” WELL together)

Psalm 1
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers.

Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

—

Isaiah 35: Joy of the Redeemed
The desert and the parched land will be glad;the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts,“Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there,  and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

—-

Romans 12

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ – For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action – Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

—

John 15:1-17 – The Vine and the Branches
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.