He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. – 1 Peter 2:23
Growing up I loved watching The Incredible Hulk series. The main character, Dr. David Banner, was generally an easygoing fella. But when someone pushed him too far, there was a dark side that overcame him. I can still hear the dire warning he would give his adversary: “Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”
In many ways I’m a lot like Dr. Banner. I consider myself fairly laidback and it takes an awful lot to get me riled up… but there is a limit. And when I’ve met that limit, I’m usually not a very nice person to be around. The Lord has helped learn how to better control my anger over the past several years, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement. Maybe you can relate.
In 1 Peter 2:23, we note a stark contrast to our human tendencies. “He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.” Jesus, in His moments of deepest suffering and injustice, had every reason to respond in anger or seek revenge. Yet He didn’t. Instead, He entrusted Himself to God, knowing that His Father would handle things in His perfect way and timing.
When we reflect on the persecution and suffering that Christ endured while here on earth, it is remarkable that He never once retaliated, even though He experienced every human emotion we do. What an incredible challenge His example sets for us! When someone cuts us off in traffic, says something hurtful, or mistreats us in some way, our natural instinct is to lash out, or at the very least to spend the next several hours stewing in bitterness.But Jesus shows us a better way: patience, self-control, and trust in God.
Let’s face it – we all have moments when the “Hulk” inside of us wants to take over. But as followers of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit living within us, helping us to choose peace over anger and surrender over retaliation. The next time you feel that surge of frustration rising, take a moment to pause, pray, and place the situation in God’s hands. He sees it all, and His justice is far greater than anything we can muster on our own.
Former Blackout Artist 