"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay. On the contrary:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Romans 12: 19-21
"There always has to be a bad guy." That's what I used to tell my two girls when we'd go to the movies. In the old westerns, the antagonist was easy to spot in a black hat, while the good guy wore white. Snow White was pursued by the envious Evil Queen. The Little Mermaid had that bulbous, purple octopus breathing down her lovely neck. George Bailey's wonderful life was threatened by the dastardly Mr. Potter.
How many movies have the protagonist loving the enemy? George Bailey may not have pulled a gun on old man Potter, but he didn't invite him over for dinner either.
One of the most difficult commands God has given is to love our enemies. It's in our very nature to be vigilantes. Look how many movie plots have one guy solely overcoming a raft of evil people, usually by killing all of them - and the audience cheers him on!
Loving others is a win-win situation. It's beneficial to our souls and allows God room to work his brand of magic. If there is vengeance to be had, God will take care of that. Let it go.
Yes, there's always going to be a bad guy, who may not be so easy to spot in a black hat. Could be a neighbor, a co-worker, a family member or a best friend. Someone will antagonize you sometime, but love him anyway. It's not what he would expect! That's why it will feel like burning coals heaped on his head because he'll feel shamed. That will soften his heart so God may work on him.
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