Inglorious

This week the story of a found girl missing for 18 years is all over the news. And the deranged mind of her sex offender captor has me thinking that we need to extract a measure of revenge greater than just jail time. All sorts of painful punishments run through my mind of which I will kindly spare you the details on. It just seems just to do more than put the guy behind bars.

My indignation and desire for revenge reminded me of the Wall Street Journal editorial I read on my flight to Austin last week. The article caught my interest as it pondered the 'problem of revenge'. The author Jordana Horn was considering this topic in light of the box office hit 'Inglorious Basterds' which is a fictional account of a small platoon of American Jews during WWII who are successful in their mission to extract a measure of revenge on the Germans through acts of atrocities (scalping just for starters). They gain such a horrible reputation that even Hitler learns about them. After the premiere of the movie at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York a number of holocaust survivors and their children expressed satisfaction with the movie and had no problem with the theme of revenge.

In fact when the movie ended- with a scene of a movie theatre full of German leaders burning – the crowd applauded. One person said the film made her 'unfortunately happy' and a rabbi called the film "wickedly entertaining". He commented further that the Bible sanctioned retribution against the people of Amalek. Other Jewish leaders noted that revenge is specifically prohibited in Leviticus 19:18 and that the Old Testament 'an eye for an eye' verse really relates to financial matters. I decided I would go see the movie for myself and see what I might conclude.

I found the film interesting and it kept my attention for over two hours. And it did pose a good question for me. Should you root for the American Jewish soldiers to be successful in their audacious revenge? Is using a baseball bat on an opposing soldier ever okay when you have captured him? When the film opens and you see the brutality of the Germans towards Jewish people is it okay to respond in kind? I started this column by telling you I wish it were so sometimes even today but would I like it in reality? I don't think so.

Romans 12:17 says "Repay no one evil for evil" and verse 19 adds "do not avenge yourselves". I'd say the Bible is pretty clear on this topic. Then this morning surfing channels before work I heard someone read Psalm 37 which opens with these words, "Do not fret because of evil doers" and verse three adds "Trust in the Lord and do good: dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness". And I determined God's response is twice as good as ours. We should not do 2 others, rather what is important is what we do 4 others.

Still I think our natural reaction as sinful folks is not to 'bless those who persecute us' but to get even. Our first reaction is not to overcome evil with good or turn the other cheek as the Bible instructs. With the heinous sex offender or the guy who just cut us off in traffic- both cause us to first consider extracting a measure of revenge. In a real way, intentional or not, the 'Inglorious' part of the title of the movie fits the theme of revenge and our first reaction doesn't it? Inglorious means dishonorable, shameful or disgraceful.

Jesus told us to love our enemy. More than that, that was His example. Spit upon, He did not spit back or call upon a legion of angels. Why? Because one day there will be a final judgement. Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord- and as one commentary noted, 'The fact that vengeance will truly be taken is a truth to be held in humility and awe'. This thought makes me thankful that the righteousness of Jesus covers my plentiful inglorious sins. On that final day standing in His righteousness we will be glorious- brilliantly beautiful, magnificently splendid. See you future splendid and non-vengeful people Sunday to feed on His faithfulness – or else! Blest Regards,kp