Justice or Revenge

"Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came upon the city unawares, and killed every male. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went forth. Jacob’s sons came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field; and they captured and looted all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives, even all that was in the houses." -Genesis 34.25-29

The daughter has been violated. The father has failed to act. The sons have stepped up to fill the void. But their desire for justice turns into all out revenge, and with revenge many innocent end up suffering. Justice would have been making Shechem face judgment, but Simeon and Levi take it too far, and slaughter an entire city. Then the other brothers come and loot the city.

Men, there is a big difference between justice and revenge. Justice is served on behalf of the wronged in order to allow all to live together in society. Revenge is based on hatred and has a desire to make someone pay at your own hands. One of them can be done righteously, and the other pulls us off of the path to Christlikeness.

Revenge comes easy. In our world justice is so easily corrupted. The rich can buy off a judge (yes it happens) and the poor are left to themselves. Revenge is something we take into our own hands to make sure the offender pays for what they did. Revenge cannot be corrupted because it already corrupt.

Do you seek justice or revenge? The follow up question, which one requires a man? Justice is standing up for the wronged, and seeking to make society possible. Justice stands up for the truth, revenge seeks your own satisfaction. Justice protects the innocent, revenge hurts the innocent with the guilty. Justice is worth fighting for, revenge is something we should flee from.

Which do you want to pursue?

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor