They Laughed While We Cried

 The funeral home was packed with mourners. The boy was only 14 years old when he was killed riding a bicycle. Someone shot him in the head at point blank range. As we cried and grieved, we could hear the sounds of honking horns and laughter just outside the funeral parlor. Someone was celebrating in the midst of our pain. Somebody was celebrating as the source of our misery.

A centipede has many legs.

Our decisions are actions that cause many reactions.

Resentment can cause murder and affect many generations.

Centipedes can be found under stones - like grave stones.

What kind of people celebrate the wounds they inflict on other people? 

• Democrats and Republicans.
• Murderers and thieves.
• Fans and athletes in athletic rivalries.
• Gangs ("It's nothing personal, strictly business." As they blow a hole in your head.)
• People in Divorce Court
• Sibling rivalry.
• Tribal  rivalry 
• Blood revenge

The list of vengeful pursuits is literally endless. The funeral home scene with the honking horns began over 10 years ago. A neighborhood feud between former friends has caused the murders of many young people. The multiple body count leading up to the death of the 14 year old began with an argument between a couple of guys over a girl. Bad blood has been spilling into the streets of Buffalo because of a couple of guys had a beef over a girl. Most of the people involved in the feud have been either murdered, gone to jail or outgrown a vengeful lifestyle. It's sad that we had to have so many funerals of young life. It's even more troubling that someone would find our bereavement an opportunity to gloat  in taunting jubilation.

What Causes Blood Revenge?

Murder has been unacceptable in the eyes of God since the beginning of time. Murder happened very early in the beginning of time when Cain killed Abel in cold blood. Cain slaughtered his brother in anger fueled by jealousy and insecurity.  God punished him but Cain's insecurity continued: 

^{Genesis 4: 10-15
10} The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. ¹¹ Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
¹³ Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. ¹⁴ Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Not so^[e]; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.

Cain was filled with resentment. Resentment is a thief that steals, kills and destroys love. It is rooted in fear. All vengeance is rooted in resentment and fear and a misguided sense of honor. Fearful resentment causes people to seek revenge. God will take care of vengeance, our job is to focus on forgiveness. When we take vengeance into our own hands, we are taking the place of God.

 History is filled with "righteous killing." Blood revenge is a human created and accepted form of vendetta. It does not restore honor. Honor cannot be restored through killing. Even King Solomon who was known for being filled with wisdom began his reign with revenge (or was it justice?) His father King David instructed him to extract revenge for an act of dishonoring the King.

1 Kings 2 Contemporary English Version

David’s Instructions to Solomon

2 Not long before David died, he told Solomon:

² My son, I will soon die, as everyone must. But I want you to be strong and brave. ³ Do what the Lord your God commands and follow his teachings. Obey everything written in the Law of Moses. Then you will be a success, no matter what you do or where you go. ⁴ You and your descendants must always faithfully obey the Lord. If you do, he will keep the solemn promise he made to me that someone from our family will always be king of Israel.
⁵ Solomon, don’t forget what Joab did to me by killing Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of Israel’s army. He killed them as if they were his enemies in a war, but he did it when there was no war.^[a] He is guilty, and now it’s up to you to punish him ⁶ in the way you think best. Whatever you do, don’t let him die peacefully in his old age.
⁷ The sons of Barzillai from Gilead helped me when I was running from your brother Absalom.^[b] Be kind to them and let them eat at your table.
⁸ Be sure to do something about Shimei son of Gera from Bahurim in the territory of Benjamin. He cursed and insulted me the day I went to Mahanaim. But later, when he came to meet me at the Jordan River, I promised that I wouldn’t kill him.^{[c] 9} Now you must punish him. He’s an old man, but you’re wise enough to know that you must have him killed.

King David represented the people as the governing authority. He recognized his own failures in certain instances when he should have taken authority and handed out justice. His instructions to his son as the new governing authority represented justice that David had neglected. Solomon was merely upholding the law through judicial authority. Human forms of  government are imperfect and have historically been known to approve of feudal revenge. When governments refuse to take authority, the people make up their own laws. That's dangerous, we need to let justice be meted out through our established authorities. When human beings take authority in place of the governing authority, they are usurping God's authority.

How Do We Stop Blood Revenge?

The easiest and shortest answer that will stop blood revenge is: "Let go of resentment." We were not created as resentful people. We have been created in the image and likeness of God. Our bodies are temples of His Holy Spirit. God has power over evil and death:

Hebrews 2:14 Amplified Bible

¹⁴ Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—

Jesus gave us the same authority that was given to him by his Father - we are to go into all the world teach all nations and baptize them in the name of  the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We have been commissioned with authority over fearful resentment. When we take spiritual authority given to us by God, vengeance and murder are not options.

Matthew 28:19 The Message

^18-20 Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Take authority over any sin in your life. The devil is only the ruler of sinful opposition to God's love. He has no power over God's love within you. Baptism is an immersion into God's love. Sin is a burial into the devils graveyard (hell.) If you are spending your life as a teacher and baptizer, you will defeat any resentment fueled thoughts of vengeance.

Romans 12:19 Amplified Bible

¹⁹ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.

 Today's Wise Saying is from Proverbs 24:17-18.

Proverbs 24:17-18

New International Version (NIV)

Saying 28

¹⁷ Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
    when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,
¹⁸ or the Lord will see and disapprove
    and turn his wrath away from them.

Proverbs 24:17-18

The Message (MSG)

28

^17-18 Don’t laugh when your enemy falls;
    don’t crow over his collapse.
God might see, and become very provoked,
    and then take pity on his plight.

Proverbs 24:17-18

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁷ Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles or is overthrown,

¹⁸ Lest the Lord see it and it be evil in His eyes and displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him [to expend it upon you, the worse offender].

Proverbs 24:17-18

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
¹⁸ Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.


Heart-Storming Challenge

• When have you sought revenge?
• How do you teach all nations?
• Can you change the world from your own little space? 

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.

Jesus loves you and so do we.