How Shall I Repay You?
1 Samuel 24:3-16 (Amplified Bible)
3He came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the cave's innermost recesses. 4David's men said to him, Behold the day of which the Lord said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hands and you shall do to him as seems good to you. Then David arose [in the darkness] and stealthily cut off the skirt of Saul's robe. 5Afterward, David's heart smote him because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 6He said to his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this to my master, the Lord's anointed, to put my hand out against him, when he is the anointed of the Lord. 7So David checked his men with these words and did not let them rise against Saul. But Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. 8David also arose afterward and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and did obeisance. 9And David said to Saul, Why do you listen to the words of men who say, David seeks to do you harm? 10Behold, your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed. 11See, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand! Since I cut off the skirt of your robe and did not kill you, you know and see that there is no evil or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, yet you hunt my life to take it. 12May the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord avenge me upon you, but my hand shall not be upon you. 13As the proverb of the ancients says, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be against you. 14After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea? 15May the Lord be judge and judge between me and you, and see and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hands. 16When David had said this to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
Recently I have had some things going on in my life. Even most of the people that know me well; do not know most of what I have been through over the past month or so. This is and was purposeful, it wasn’t because I wanted not to scream it from the roof top, and it wasn’t because my flesh at one time or another did not want to seek to pay back those who had hurt, disappointed, disrespected or intentionally deceived me, but it was because God would not allow me to do anything but what I did and am still doing which is pray for those involved and seek Him for wisdom. But God is so funny some times, not funny Ha ha, but funny ironic, because during this time He has made me love on, bless, fast, pray and earnestly intercede for those involved. When God first began to instruct me, I went to my mother and said “I know I am not hearing Him correctly, I do not want to do that” and she laughed and said “you are hearing Him, probably clearer than you ever have before.” All I could do in those moments was sigh, and walk away, because my soulish realm wanted to scream and say “are you kidding me?” But out of obedience and submission to God, I blessed instead of cursed, I prayed instead of preyed on, I pressed in instead of gave up on. See my repayment plan was not God’s and God’s repayment plan originally was not mine, but because I want His perfect will to be done, I did it His way instead of mine. Because these individuals are His creations and not mine, I submitted to His orders. Because I knew it was not my place to do anything but love and pray. Because God had all of this, I did just what He said, and continue to this day…
The pain and disappointment, disruption, distractions and havoc that others can cause in our lives, can be great motivation for pay back or revenge. If we were to go back to the Old Testament, we could justify our actions with, “an eye for an eye,” or something of that nature, but because of grace and mercy, we have to understand that God is the Judge and our vindicator. I am not saying it is not our place to judge treatment by others or situations and behaviors that may manifest by others, but not to become Judge, jury and sentence. I use to get so annoyed with my mom, when I was younger, because she was such a nice person, but people often took advantage of her and treated her with unkindness and distain, to include some of her family members. They would speak to her with such disrespect, but yet she would, love in spite of and still exhibit kindness and God’s order towards them, no matter who they were and what they had done. I use to say “that could never be me.” Fast forward to today, I have become her. I have that in spite of love, that determination to do what is right, because God is watching and He instructed us to repay evil with good, not the opposite way around. But some would ask “when do you get tired,” I would respond, “my flesh gets tired every day, but my spirit never tires of being in right standing with God, and feeling that He is well pleased with me.” I know that for everything that is done to me, and I choose to respond in the proper way that He will bless me and He will do exceedingly, abundantly, above anything that I have asked Him for. My responses, dictate God’s movement in my life and how much He does when He moves. It also lets Him know that I am going to let Him be God and handle His business as Judge and Vindicator, for He can do it better than I ever could think to.
When someone gives you what you do not deserve, or someone responds to you with less than a loving and caring manner, how will you chose to react, what will be your repayment? Will you choose to take matters into your own hands and repay them for the deeds done, or will you consult God and act as He would have you to act and do what it is that He would have you to do even when it hurts and is uncomfortable? The choice is always ours to make, but always remember the High road is less crowded, but closer to the heart of God. If we choose kindness over treating other as they have treated us, it is like heaping coals of fire upon the head of those who are the offenders. It is also allowing God to help us crucify our flesh and cultivate our spirit. It is placing us in position to be blessed by God, and by man!
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