The Gallows of Revenge

Do you know what gallows are? They are a way to kill someone by hanging them by their neck. Would you want to be choked to death by a rope? I doubt it! Just think how it would feel to be squeezed tighter and tighter until your head felt like exploding. That is what “getting even” does to you inside. All the good things are squeezed out. As Daniel learned in this story, revenge doesn’t bring happy results.

“But he deserves it!” you say, when your pestering little brother gets in trouble. “Serves him right for what he did to me.” Revenge makes us think only that you are good and he is bad. But is that true? When you blame someone else you don’t look at your own problems. But it is your own bad attitude that makes you unhappy.

There are many ways you can “choke” out the blessings of life. When you can’t go to your friend’s house you say, “Now my day is ruined!” and feel gloomy. You are feeling bad because you are choking your own self. When someone does something mean, you plan a way to get him back. But that only starts a “revenge war” and no one is happy. When something doesn’t go your way you can say, “It’s their fault!” But when you blame others you are unfair and unhappy.

So how do we get free from the gallows? God’s love is the answer. How can we love those that bother and hurt us? We must pray for Jesus’ help to take away our selfish heart and give us His heart of love. When we have Jesus’ love, we want to do good and be kind to others. Let God do the revenging, because He is fair.