Justice Versus Vengeance

"Lord, hear a just cause; pay attention to my cry; listen to my prayer- from lips free of deceit. Let my vindication come from you, for you see what is right."  Psalm 17:1-2 HCSB

Almost every day the media reports shootings, bombings, protests, cars crashing into crowds of people and other forms of terrorism where we feel completely helpless.  Almost every day.....all around the world.  People of every race, nation, gender, and religion are so desperate to have their own personal causes heard that they are willing to go to whatever extreme, including taking other human lives, to guarantee that they have a voice.  People who are so desperate to be seen as worthy and right in their causes that they refuse to see the evil that has taken hold.  Certain groups of people truly fear for their lives because of the color of their skin, or because of what they do for a living, or because of how they choose to live their lives.  And my heart breaks at the pain and fear that others feel, and my soul is tempted to give into despair at the state of the human race in this day and age.  Especially right now in the midst of a very dramatic and tense Presidential Election that seems to have no ideal outcome.

Ultimately we aren't dealing with a need for more gun control or stiffer immigration policies, or legislation on hate; although I know people from both sides that will argue that these are exactly what we need.  I personally think that these are just bandaides that we are trying to put on a gaping and bleeding wound....and that wound is sin.  Our problem isn't racism or guns or immigration problems....it's a heart problem....it's a sin problem, and we all are vulnerable to giving in to it because at the root of this sin problem is selfishness and pride.  We feel that we don't need to take the time to listen and really try to understand where the other side is coming from because we feel that our side is the only one that matters.  We feel right in our causes, but do we ask God to examine our hearts and expose our true motives?

In the last week as I studied and meditated on Psalm 17, God has shown me that our circumstances are not new to Him. He has continually dealt with evil, and pride and selfish motives, along with His people's fears and pleadings for justice and mercy.  The  life of King David has shown me that God hears our cries and knows that we want justice for our causes....the key is to seek His justice and not our own vengeance.  Because that is what we are dealing with; groups of people who want their causes to be heard yet aren't willing to go to Him, instead seeking justice and vengeance on their own...in their own strength and power and wisdom.  And this is why we are seeing evil raise it's ugly head and seemingly gain an advantage in the world.  

But through this Psalm and David's life I see how God wants His people to react.  Psalm 17 is more of a pleading prayer than a praise, and I think that's ok....David shows us that there are times to sing praises, and times to cry out in prayer.  His is a plea for justice; and if anyone had a cause to scream "Unfair!!!" it would be David.  In the midst of false accusations and persecution, being hunted down by his own father-in-law, whom he had protected and fought for, David faced an outer, physical battle with Saul and his men, but he also fought an inner battle where he had to face fear.  Both of these battles urged David to make a choice....seek justice and vengeance on his own or fall on God's mercy, allowing Him to fight David's cause and right the wrongs done to him.  

David asks God to recognize his integrity and his heart. During this time of crisis, when his very life is in danger, David wants God to know that he is praying with no hidden motives or known deceit.  He had confidence that God would hear his plea because his cause was just.  And David did not want vindication over his enemy if it didn't come from God.  David teaches us through his prayer that we can give all of our struggles and pain, all of our fears, all of the ways that we feel we have been persecuted and mistreated and we can give them to God to take care of. We don't need to protest how unfairly we have been treated because God knows our cause and He will be the One to mete out justice to our enemies, we don't need to lift a finger.  Instead we can rely on Him to give us wisdom and discernment and to judge the motives of our own hearts.  David's emphasis was on God's justice and not his own vindication.  Maybe if we all focused on that then the world would be a less scary and hostile place. 
 #EveryLifeMatters  #VengeanceBelongsToTheLord #Psalm17 #LessonsFromDavid

Ranch Kids vs Cowboys

     

 

Today was one of those days that my son learned the difference between playing cowboy and being a ranch kid.  That you might have the cowboy garb with a button down shirt, a good looking cowboy hat and chaps and spurs that give you the right cowboy look; but if you don't have the heart for this way of life you are probably not a ranch kid.

Today was a hard day.  Most days he and I both just revel in the fact that we have the life that we do, that we get to enjoy being outdoors, wide open spaces, cattle that look great, trusty horses that you love spending time on, good grass, mild weather, bonding time with family.  Life is good.  

And then we have days like today.....days that are full of lessons for a ranch kid.  Mornings where you get up before the sun and it's chilly, but a few hours later it is blazing hot and dusty.  Days when cattle go into gates they aren't supposed to and those that are supposed to run right past them.  When Mama cows forget they have babies and you have to remind them because you can't get to the holding pasture without keeping the pairs intact.  You have those days when that trusty horse that you love won't cooperate and you have to fight him to do what you want him to do.  Family bonding means getting yelled at because you're at the wrong place at the wrong time and hearing a few choice words from your Dad and Grandpa.  You learn the importance of paying attention and not day dreaming, of taking a wide circle and not riding too close to the fence when your Dad is bringing a pair towards you.  You have those days that after so many hours in the saddle your bottom and your knees start to hurt even if you are only 7 years old, but you just gotta keep on riding through it until the works done.  Those days that you learn while working cattle that it's not all fun and games and you'd better put your rope away unless you intend on throwing a loop at a run-a-way calf!  You learn to eat your breakfast because it may be a long time before lunch....unless you are lucky and your Mom packs you a few smooshed up peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and then you learn to be oh so grateful for those!  And this time of year you learn all about the birds and the bees.....or rather the Bulls and the cows, which lead to a lot of questions that your Mom has to carefully answer.  

Days like today teach a kid that while the cowboy way of life might be glamorous and fun, the ranch kid way of life is not all that it's cracked up to be.  It means long days and hard work and not a whole lot of fun. But at the end of the day, the thing that separates a ranch kid from a wanna-be-cowboy is when he is ready to do it all over again the next day whether he wants to or not!  Thank God for ranch kids!