Friday, April 20, 2018

Enemies

My recent season of life has been tough.  Yes, of late you've seen me gallivanting around Europe before arriving back in the good ol' US of A, but the dark side of these adventures is that they came in the wake of quitting -- or more accurately escaping -- a very toxic work environment.  It is not possible to tell the whole story here, but I would like to share what I've been working through spiritually.  Perhaps now, after beginning to write this post at least two months ago, prior to even leaving Asia, I've had enough time of reflection to tie it together.  It's a long one-- I thought about splitting it into two posts, but ultimately decided it's better together.

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In the past, I never paid much attention to the complaints of the psalmist about being surrounded by enemies, having to deal with arrogant and untrustworthy people, betrayal or suffering unjust treatment.  Honestly, though I'd enjoyed other aspects of the psalms, I kind of found all that a bit annoying and at times thought of David (author of much of the psalms) as a complainer, a whiner, or perhaps an exaggerator.  I mean, we all deal with some difficult people at some point or get treated unfairly, but most of those experiences aren't the end of the world.  And then there's the whole getting chased by an army thing-- not exactly something I could relate to.  Unless you're in the military and have been sent into a war zone, I would hazard to say that you've felt the same way.

But then I had to deal with that stuff.

Suddenly those complaints were very relevant to me.  I wasn't surrounded by an army who literally wanted to kill me, but I now know what it is like to be surrounded by enemies who attack your livelihood, your integrity, and your security and not have a good immediate option of escape.


"O God, have mercy on me,
for people are hounding me.
My foes attack me all day long.
I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,
and many are boldly attacking me...
They are always twisting what I say;
they spend their days plotting to harm me.
They come together to spy on me--
watching my every step, eager to kill me.
Don't let them get away with their wickedness;
in your anger, O God, bring them down."
-- Psalm 56: 1-2; 5-7

"So many enemies against one man--
all of them trying to kill me.
To them I'm just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence.
They plan to topple me from my high position.
They delight in telling lies about me.
They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts."
-- Psalm 62:3-4

Every day was like walking on eggshells, having no idea what crazy new thing they would come up with next-- what crazy accusation they would levy, what crazy new rule would suddenly manifest, what crazy amount of money they would try to cheat me out of.  I felt like a hostage-- because of the financial aspect of the situation, I couldn't just leave.

"Declare me innocent, O God!
Defend me against these ungodly people.
Rescue me from these unjust liars.
For you are God, my only safe haven."
-- Psalm 43: 1-2

"In my anxiety I cried out to you,
'These people are all liars!'"
-- Psalm 116:11

"O LORD, you know all about this.
Do not stay silent.
Do not abandon me now, O Lord.
Wake up!  Rise to my defense!
Take up my case, my God and my Lord."
-- Psalm 35: 22-23

Progressively, it took over my thoughts, prayers, and seemingly every aspect of my reality.  Day and night I wrestled with what to do.  How long do I endure this?  Is it going to get better?  How long until it works out?  How long until I escape?  Do I just cut and run or do I hold out a bit longer to try and get what's owed me?

"Save me, O God,
for the floodwaters are up to my neck.
Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire;
I can't find a foothold.
I am in deep water,
and the floods overwhelm me.
I am exhausted from crying for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes are swollen with weeping,
waiting for my God to help me.
Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs on my head.
Many enemies try to destroy me with lies..."
-- Psalm 69:1-4

"[They're] expert[s] at telling lies.
[They] love evil more than good
and lies more than truth."
-- Psalm 52:2-3

"I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain."
-- Psalm 73:14

"Rescue me from the mud;
don't let me sink any deeper!
Save me from those who hate me,
and pull me from these deep waters."
-- Psalm 69:14

I started understanding the call for vengeance...


"For my enemies are whispering against me.
They are plotting together to kill me...
O God, don't stay away.
My God, please hurry to help me.
Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers.
Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me."
-- Psalm 71:10-13

"So let sudden ruin come upon them!
Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me!"
-- Psalm 35:8

"Yes!" I started cheering along,  "Teach them a lesson, Lord!  Make them realize they're in the wrong!  Prove my innocence and make them pay for what they've done!  Humiliate and embarrass them!  They don't deserve success!"  

A cloud of darkness settled over my life.  But then I was out for a run in the hills (running tends to be a time of deep thinking for me) and felt a nudge that seemed to say, "But have you prayed FOR them?"


“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.   
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!  
 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.
For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, 
and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike."
-- Matthew 5:43-45

Truly I had done much praying ABOUT them but not FOR them.  My prayers had been 'me' focused-- how the situation could be improved to make MY life better.  I hadn't been praying FOR my enemies, only AGAINST them and FOR MYSELF.  I'd been so focused on how to safeguard my own life that I'd forgotten Jesus' command: "Bless those who curse you" (Luke 6:28).


"If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?  
Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.  
If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?  
Even pagans do that.  
But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect."
-- Matthew 5:46-48

Right then on a sweaty subtropical "mountain" I began praying differently.  The dark cloud was still there, but it seemed a ray of sunshine broke through.  The heaviness was not quite so heavy. And though I am still shaking off the dust, I can testify that praying love over your enemies is much more freeing than praying hate.

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I had this epiphany moment, but I began to wonder: how does this fit with David's prayers for vengeance in the psalms?  What about praying against "those who hate me without cause" (Psalm 69:4), calling out for God to "pour out [his] indignation upon them, and let [his] burning anger overtake them" (Psalm 69:24)?  Why does David get to pray this?  Can I pray this and still love my enemies?  At first glance it seems contradictory.

David is called by God "a man after [God's] own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14), yet his psalms, his prayers, appear to stand in contention with this command from Jesus.  Can you be a man or woman after God's own heart -- obeying Jesus' command to love your enemies -- and call for vengeance at the same time?

The Lord tells us that revenge is his, stating: "I will take revenge; I will pay them back" (Deuteronomy 32:35a).  In the context of this passage he is acknowledging that Israel has enemies and has faced hard times but also that he will deal with it all at the appropriate time:


"The LORD says, 'Am I not storing up these things,
sealing them away in my treasury?
I will take revenge; I will pay them back.
In due time their feet will slip.
Their day of disaster will arrive,
and their destiny will overtake them.'"
--Deuteronomy 32:34-35

We mortals with our finite view of time are not very patient.  We want things now.  We want to see progress, results, and rewards now.  We want tangible assurance -- to see with our own eyes -- that things are happening, that things are going our way, that the Lord is working it out.  But the Lord is patient.  In his unlimited, infinite view of time he has a long-term plan-- much longer than we can conceive.  It is impossible for us to know or understand everything he is doing.  He says we will receive justice; He says our enemies will reap what they've sowed, but "in due time"-- the right time.  It is not our place to say when and how, or even if it is in this life or in the next.  God never promises that evil people will face the consequences of their actions here on earth, but he does promise eternal ramifications in the life to come.

In the mean time, we are told:


"Never pay back evil with more evil.  Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.  Dear friends, never take revenge.  Leave that to the righteous anger of God."
-- Romans 12:17-19

Though we see David calling for revenge in his psalms, we also see him leaving it to God in his actions.  In 1 Samuel 24, David is running for his life and has the chance to kill his enemy, Saul, who is hunting him down to kill him without cause.  But instead of killing Saul, David spares him, showing mercy, stating: 

"May the LORD judge between us.  Perhaps the LORD will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.  As that old proverb says, 'From evil people come evil deeds.'  So you can be sure I will never harm you... May the LORD therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one.  He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!"
--1 Samuel 24:12-13; 15

In this way, David loved his enemy: He returned kindness for evil, leaving revenge in the Lord's hands.

"Instead, 'If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.'
Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good."
-- Romans 12:20-21

In Psalm 35 we see that David fasted FOR his enemies, prayed FOR them, and grieved FOR them as if they were his own family or friends.  Furthermore, in 2 Samuel 1 David mourns the death of Saul, his enemy.  David did everything the Lord wanted.  Though he had troubles, though he thirsted for justice, he still loved.
 
 "Don't rejoice when your enemies fall;
don't be happy when they stumble.
For the LORD will be displeased with you
and will turn his anger away from them.
Don't fret because of evildoers;
don't envy the wicked.
For evil people have no future;
the light of the wicked will be snuffed out."
-- Proverbs 24:17-20 

Finally, a study of David's life demonstrates how God blesses those who do right in the face of evil.  God rewarded him for doing good, loving God, and loving his enemies-- even as he called on the Lord for justice.  And this is not the only place we see this in the Bible-- Job was blessed after having prayed for friends who were making his life more miserable than it already was.  For the sake of brevity I will not list every example here, but suffice it to end on this note:

"Don't be misled-- you cannot mock the justice of God.  You will always harvest what you plant.  Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature.  But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.  So let's not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.  Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone..."
-- Galatians 6:7-10
  
God hears us.  He knows.  Just keep going.  Keep praying.  Pray for justice; Act in love.  Leave revenge for the Lord.  Ultimately, eternity is in God's righteous hands, and he will see us through.  In the meantime, "Bless those who curse you..."