2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.

It continues to be interesting just how different the English and Japanese translations can be, even though they start from the same Greek. Here, the English starts with “God is just,” but the Japanese puts that idea at the end and changes it to, “For God, this is the right (just) thing.” In either case, however, the point of the passage is that those who pick on God’s children will indeed “get what’s coming to them.” We are all born with an innate sense of fairness. This actually is a powerful argument against atheism, because if we are just biologically determined, then there is no moral framework at all, and “justice” is meaningless. There is a great deal of injustice in the world, and we are prone to get all worked up about it. Every time a particularly egregious example comes up the media have a heyday, because people revel in righteous indignation. However, that’s only with things that fit current “political correctness”; far worse things often get ignored if they don’t fit the political narrative. Be that as it may, on a personal level we often get worked up over what seems “unfair” to us, and that’s what Paul is addressing here. He is actually echoing something that has been repeated at least since the days of Moses: God takes care of all of that. (Deuteronomy 32:35) Actions have consequences, and God doesn’t miss anything. We actually should feel sorry for those who are mean to us, because they are storing up for themselves consequences they don’t even want to think about.

I haven’t been fixated on this issue, but it has tripped me up a few times. Any time I have tried to make “payback” my business, I have gotten into far more trouble than it was worth. God is certainly big enough to take care of all of that! I frequently run into people who have an aggrieved sense of fairness, and it becomes a major stumbling block for them, poisoning their hearts and minds to the point that they can’t receive and enjoy the blessings God has for them. That’s tragic! This is why Jesus spent so much time talking about forgiveness. When we are focused on “paying back,” we haven’t forgiven, and that blocks God’s forgiveness toward us. (Matthew 6:15) Now that’s serious! We need to realize that we are more in God’s debt than anyone could ever be toward us, just as Jesus expressed so clearly in His parable in Matthew 18. I need to remember, and help others realize, that God is more than big enough to take care of everything, far better than we ever could.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me communicate it effectively to those who are struggling in this area, so that together we may escape the traps of the devil and walk in Your peace and joy, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!