“If our social justice is guided by retribution, we will
simply perpetuate the use and abuse of power to inflict violence.”
Jamie Arpin-Ricci
From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human
point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we
no longer know him in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new
creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into
being! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and
has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was
reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them,
and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.
Book of 2
Corinthians
“A society built upon a foundation of vengeance is a
society doomed to destroy itself.”
Richelle E. Goodrich
“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”
Jesus
“Vengence is mine saith the Lord, but I enjoy being God’s
tool”
Unknown
“An eye for an eye, and the whole world would be blind.”
Kahlil
Gibran
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth
for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on
the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
Jesus
“When you repay evil with evil, you become evil.”
Wayne
Gerard Trotman
“Don’t overcome evil with evil, overcome evil with good”
Book of
Romans
_____________________________________
I sit and watch the sunrise
into a bitter cold sky
the mountain looms, white and stark
into brilliant blue
I lift up my eyes unto the hills
seeking help
wanting to trust that the One who is love
gets us
and has got this
I want to trust in Love, and trust that in the end
Love wins
I want to let go of my fear and anxiety
and I want my heart to stop hurting
every damn day
and yet I am afraid
afraid of the bitterness that drips from too many souls
like the sap from a wounded tree
I am afraid of those who are addicted to resentment,
anger, and hate
and are driven to imbibe of the power to dictate
and even embrace a dictator
I hear the voice of one who would take us down a path
rejected by the One
“I am your warrior. I am your justice.
And for those who have been wronged and betrayed:
I am your retribution.” (DJT)
Those words freeze my soul
They violate me.
Ah, Lord, if that were your way
You would have listened to the tester
And accepted the crown of Empire
Ah, Lord, if that were your way
you would have aligned with those
who held earthly power and wealth
Ah, Lord, if that were your way you would not
have allowed the world to mutilate you
and hang you on a cross
and then look down with love
and say
“may forgiveness be
theirs”
It is hard, this path of Love
This way of emptying and
service
This way of generosity,
compassion, kindness, and empowerment
Fear is much easier than
love
And yet the only way for
the Kingdom to come.
For it to be “on earth as
it is in heaven”
Is for us to be people
who seek to reconcile and restore rather than people who punish and destroy.
There is plenty of evil
in the world
Plenty of hate, violence,
resentment, and retribution
There is not enough love
Not enough reconciliation
and restoration
Jesus came with a
ministry of reconciliation
Not vengeance
And that work has been entrusted
To us
Let’s do it
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