This last week, we did our annual VBS at our church. I got the opportunity to write the curriculum and really thought about what would attract children, but also challenge anyone who comes. After watching a certain movie that I shall not name, I was inspired. My husband laughed because they (spoiler alert) changed the appearance of Thor. Watching Thor's metamorphosis was the light bulb moment for me.
I noticed how destructive the need for revenge and avenging can be. So for our VBS, we compared Thor to Jesus. Thor was powerful and overcame evil with his hammer, but when he became eaten up by the need for revenge, it crippled him emotionally. Even with all of his power still being present, he couldn't recognize it was there because of fear, hurt, and helplessness. You'll have to see the movie to see what happens to Thor, but I can tell what happens to our other super hero. Jesus, as God's son, was powerful. He could have called down angels to save Him from a death on the cross, but didn't because He knew that the only way to overcome evil was by taking our punishment on Himself.
So He also overcame evil with a hammer- a hammer, nails, and a cross. We feel the only way to get past hurt and pain is to conquer it, so we attempt to fight these emotional battles with our own strength.
We think revenge will make us feel better or more powerful. Revenge may give you a moment of pleasure, but the cause of your misery, the hurt inside is still there. We didn't need an Avenger to punish, we needed a Redeemer to forgive. At one point in my life many years ago, something happened that shook my faith. I won't go into details, but this moment was one where I struggled with forgiving. To most, I had every right to be unforgiving, but I also know that if Jesus can forgive the worst sinner, then I have to forgive.
I would like to say that I said one prayer and immediately felt the grace of God reaching out of me to the one who had wronged my family and me. This was not the case. It took a couple of years and some distance.
Forgiving was not instantaneous. It was the act of choosing to let go each day and walking in the knowledge that God was enough. Hurt would do my life no good, so I chose to release it and hold on to God's peace. When thoughts would come, I would pray and ask God to help me let go. Initially, I prayed often each day. Over time, I didn't feel the need to do this as often. Eventually, I didn't have to pray for this.
I realized that what someone did years ago didn't matter any more in my life. Even though it hurt horribly at the time, my life and my family's lives have been good. God has blessed us and graced us with His love and mercy.
So even though the enemy meant to use something bad to destroy me, God turned it into something good. I find myself praying for the person who hurt me. That person isn't doing well.
Why do I pray for them? Because Jesus died for them the same as He died for me. Seeing that person hurting hurts God, and I care about what matters to God. That means the person I couldn't forgive, I now care about. Remember the shooting at the Amish school years ago. A man locked himself in with several Amish children and killed both himself and the children. It was an unforgivable act to most of us. At the man's funeral,
Amish buggies lined the road as the families of the children who were massacred attended the man's funeral. Why would they do that? They did it to support the wife who was left behind and show that they forgave.
In this world full of anger and hurt, revenge will never heal. We don't need an Avenger. We need a forgiving Redeemer.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 (NIV)
Have a great week high-heeled warrior!
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