“And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Corinthians 10:6). They say that the best revenge is living well. This is exactly what Paul is saying. Each of us is born with an innate sense of right and rong, of justice and mercy. One of the side effects of our strong desire to see justice carried out is an unshakeable, undeniable thirst for revenge. Paul is not saying that we need to try to rip out our natural inclination towards revenge, but rather to channel it. And how do we satisfy our desire for revenge? By living well. By making sure that our obedience is fulfilled. If we have been disobedient in the past, we get revenge by being obedient now. If others have been disobedient in the past, or are currently being disobedient and making our lives a living hell, then how do we get revenge? By being obedient now. If we want to get true revenge for all disobedience, then we have to recognize that not only do two wrongs not make a right, but two wrongs ricochet off each other and shatter and spray a whole expanding shrapnel cloud of wrongs in all directions. But one right can absorb and carry a multitude of wrongs and stop the ever expanding cloud of misery and escalating vengeance. The best revenge is not as easy as the other kinds of revenge. It is no fun at all to be smitten on one cheek and then making the choice to turn the other cheek also. It is agonizing to hold the righteous fury of offended justice within our heart and then to choose to let it all leak out and forgive. Getting true, lasting revenge against all disobedience is a heavy burden. But if we take up that cross and shoulder the burden and follow our Savior and carry the weight of other people’s disobedience and see our obedience fulfilled, then there awaits for us a far weightier crown of glory.
