Is Personal Vengeance Really That Bad?

God avenges justly even when we don’t understand.   ~~~   In this unfolding story of 1 Samuel 24, we are given two big comforts that should lead us to trust God’s path, even though it may be treacherous at times, even if we don’t understand it. The first comfort is that god avenges justly. We learn this truth from David’s speech to Saul as Saul is leaving the cave. David rushes after Saul, perhaps keeping a spear’s throw distance away from Saul, calls out to him and then bows down. This is an immense act of humility on David’s part. In fact, it is a sign to us of repentance. He had initially sought to humiliate Saul and give a warning shot to him that he was about to rip the kingdom away from Saul. That was the message behind the cutting off the corner of the robe. But David had been convicted. He had realized that the test before him was whether or not he would seek personal vengeance on Saul, or would he humbly allow God to avenge him. David realized that his actions would not have been an act of faith but an act of personal retribution, and the LORD stopped him in his tracks, and David was humbled. How about you? How humble are you when an opportunity for personal vengeance slips into your hands? How much vengeance do you have brewing in your heart right now towards someone else who has done you wrong? How much justice do you think you could bring, and deserve to bring on someone in your life? A father who abandoned you? An ex who cheated on you? If you were David in this situation, would you be bowing down in humility, or would you be pouting in the cave, frustrated with God, and telling God all the reasons why He should let you continue down the path you started on? How long would the conversation be? How long would you sit and sulk, and convince yourself that you were right and God was mistaken?