Devon Dick
LAST SUNDAY, a church member said that God would reward the persons who killed Deacon George Morgan and shot Pastor Evelyn Wilson.
Earlier in the day, it was reported that Morgan and Wilson were involved in a minor car accident in Alligator Pond, Manchester, while on their way to church in St. Elizabeth. This callous and brazen murder and serious injury over a minor matter could have elicited a call for reprisals.
However, the response of this church member was consistent with the Bible, which says NO to revenge.
Romans 12:17-19 states, "Do not take revenge" because God states "It is mine to avenge. I will repay". God prohibits reprisals.
This biblical injunction is counter to popular culture. Most of the films from the United States have their stars taking revenge as a means of maintaining the honour of family or country.
'ANTICIPATORY REVENGE'
There is a tit-for-tat attitude among tribes, ethnic groups and countries, hence more people are dying because of genocide than at any other period in history.
The Bush administration has a policy of pre-emptive strike. So it is no longer taking revenge when attacked; it is definitely not reacting in self-defence but it is to exact punishment even before one has been offended. This new policy can be called 'anticipatory revenge'.
The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is a prime example of revenge as a foreign policy being dangerous with no end game.
Jamaica is also gripped in a cycle of revenge. Hence, the major motivation for murders is reprisal. Violence begets violence.
There are some persons who claim that to tell persons no revenge after their loved ones have been victims of murder is unreasonable, insensitive and unmanageable. Yes, it is not easy but the alternative has dire consequences.
FORGIVENESS
The better way is forgiveness. Forgiveness recognises the hurt inflicted by the offender but the offended does not continue to have hatred and bitterness toward the offender.
Even in forgiveness, the offended one can still hate the awful act while pitying the offender.
This is not easy as a vicar in England found out.
She, who had been preaching forgiveness as a minister of religion, resigned that position in March because she could not forgive those who had killed her daughter in the June 2005 in the London train bombing.
However, forgiving someone who has committed a murder does not mean that the person has gotten away scotch free.
NOT THE END
Saying no to revenge is not the end of the story. The one who has committed the murder must be left to the authorities according to the 13th chapter of Romans.
In a country, it would be the judicial system. In the world, it would be the United Nations or any comparable world body that has jurisdiction on the matter by treaty. No to revenge and yes to forgiveness does not exclude taking up the matter in court.
In any case, even if the one who committed the killing got off after the court case, the passage in Romans assures us that God will exact revenge.
No one will escape in the final judgement. All things being equal, no one will escape the consequences of his or her actions. Therefore, the Bible states "leave room for God's wrath." God will deal with the issue.
The tragedy of revenge is that it is taking the law into our hands and, often because we are so emotionally involved, we exact punishment that far exceeds the crime.
Furthermore, it is an obsession with the offence and our hurt rather than what God requires in the particular situation.
God's advice no to revenge - is still the best policy for relationships, country and the world.
Rev. Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot, the Church in Nation Building'.
