In 2007, the famous Nigerian music artistes, Psquare released a song titled: Do Me, featuring Waje. A line in that song says, “If you do me, I do you, (man no go vex).” Some people hold on to this mentality to justify retaliation or revenge towards their neighbours, even when Scriptures tell us that “vengeance is for the Lord,” (Rom. 12:19; Deut. 32:35). Our thoughts as humans are not the same with God’s. This is because our God is mysterious; He is spirit and a great judge who sees everything and rewards all accordingly at the appropriate time.
This notwithstanding, we often get disturbed by what people will say about our actions, especially when someone does evil to us. In some cases, we want to pay back with something similar so that the person can feel what we felt or so that people will not call us “mumu” or “idiots.” On the other hand, it takes a person of deep humility and profound spirituality to go against this erroneous mentality of some people in the society. Is this possible? Of course, yes, with the help of God and our disposition! The first reading of today gives us a practical example of not retaliating but leaving vengeance for God, even when opportunity makes retaliation a possibility. From the preceding chapters, especially chapter 18 of 1 Samuel, we understand why Saul has been after the life of David and now, both are scared since both are warriors and no one wants to be killed by the other.
Saul, however, repented but his repentance was not genuine because he did not make serious effort to work on his greed, envy and jealousy toward David (chapter 24). Hence, he continued to seek the poor man’s life. Today, Saul set out to bring down David with three thousand men. David was aware of Saul’s movements. David continued to keep an eye on Saul’s camp, just like Gideon in the book of Judges 7:9-11, he went inside the camp of the enemy accompanied by two friends.
David went into the camp of Saul and saw how fast asleep Saul and his men were, and for anyone who believes in “If you do me, I do you, (man no go vex),” that would have been a perfect opportunity to slay Saul and the chase, over. This was how Jael saved the Israelites from their enemy in Judges 4:21. But David did not take the life of Saul even when he had the opportunity.
Aside from the fact that David knew Saul was anointed and has been set apart by God which was why he did not slay Saul, he was also influenced by his encounter with Nabal and Abigail who had taught him that it was better to leave vengeance for God than to retaliate or revenge by oneself (I Sam. 25; 26:10). David was able to control himself by being God-fearing and not allowing the bad attitudes of Saul toward him to spur similar qualities in him.
And so, instead of beheading Saul in his slumber, he decided to take the spear and water jug beside the sleeping Saul as evidence of how easily he would have ended the chase. Nonetheless, David returned the things he took from the camp of Saul and made it known to him that the Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness (1 Sam. 26:23).
David indeed, left the matter between himself and Saul into the hands of God to judge and serve justice at the appropriate time. Let us take note that David did not request for a ransom or anything in return from Saul. He only committed the case to God and prayed that similar favour he hoped for Saul be shown to him. Thus, his action reflects that of God and the response to the psalm, The Lord is compassion and love. How many of us have this kind of faith and moral standard today? Wouldn’t it be so nice to have slayed Saul at once so we can have our peace of mind or move on with our lives? Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to use the presence of Abishai to slay Saul? In the final analysis, some of us would not have hesitated to slay Saul and end the chase, especially when we cannot really rely on the judicial system of our country where the victim becomes the guilty and the guilty becomes the victim; where injustice is seen as justice and vice-versa. The Lord will indeed reward everyone for his or her righteousness and faithfulness at the appropriate time.
But then, we must be patient because the appropriate time of God is not always the “as e dy hot” (that is, immediate reaction) style. Jesus further instructs us in the gospel reading to love our enemies. What a difficult task, yet possible! However, the idea of love in the Greek parlance could be seen from three angles. That is, eros – the passion or attraction towards the opposite gender; philia – affection towards relatives; and agape – the feeling of kindness towards the other person. This agape type of love is probably the kind of love that Jesus is demanding from us here.
This is the kind of love that makes us see the image and likeness of God in our fellow human beings. It is the kind of love that makes us value the life of every human being and accord everyone his or her respect. It is the kind of love that makes us desire the highest good of the other, regardless of the other’s attitudes toward us. Jesus also went on to give the “golden rule” – “treat others the way you want to be treated.”
This can only be achieved through this same agape type of love which sees beyond the flaws, tribes, languages, complexions, bodily structures and so on of people and look at them with eyes of fellow creatures of God. To do this may be difficult, painful and almost impossible, especially when others have caused us pain, misery and misfortune. Hence, it takes the grace of God, self discipline, courage and love for God to really do so.
Actually, when we are able to do so, we become like God because it is his Spirit that is working in us at that point since that is the way He acts. “God sends his rain on the just and the unjust. He is kind to the man who brings him joy and equally kind to the man who grieves his heart. We are not so pure and holy in the sight of God either, yet he continues to lavish his blessings upon us. God’s love embraces saints and sinners alike. It is that love that we must emulate; if we, too, seek even our enemy’s highest good we will in truth be the children of God.”
Again, when we are able to practice this, that is, leaving retaliation or vengeance for God and loving our enemies and really doing good not to only those who do good to us, we share in the life giving act of Jesus who came into our space and time to share his life with us, sinners so as to redeem us from the shackles of sin, just as the second reading tells us. Jesus has given us life and hope, and that is why we can be regarded as children of God by adoption (Rom. 8:15). We too must reciprocate these acts toward our neighbours and indeed to every human.
We must be life givers, opportunity givers and true hope givers. Let us learn to give people opportunities of repentance and reasons to live amidst the difficulties of our present time or regardless of the past hurts caused by others. So, instead of “if you do me I do you man no go vex,” let it be “if you do me I do you God go vex.” Our fear of not offending God should be our motive and guiding principle to the way we relate with one another, and not the fear of our fellow human beings because we are limited and imperfect in our thinking and ways of life. That way, we mind our actions toward one another, thereby achieving a loving and harmonious society despite all odds. Is retaliation really worth it?
• Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Chibuike Canice is the Associate Parish Priest, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Badagry, Lagos.
