Yesterday, I woke up to a video on my Facebook timeline, that I’d been tagged in, of a child being horrifically abused by her care giver. I was horrified to say the least. I was mad as hell!!! So many bad emotions arose in me, and all I could think of was what I would do to that very wicked woman who had done this unthinkable thing to such a vulnerable, powerless baby!
I didn’t want to be appeased by the Spirit, as He tried to caution me on my emotions and my responses. As I wrote my comments, I felt the Spirit shaking His head, pulling on me to not be so hateful. Because that was all I felt. HATE! Pure unadulterated hatred for this woman I didn’t know for her atrocious acts, without any other information about her. I judged her, and my sentence was retaliation by torture and abuse, as I felt death would be too kind.
There are few things that have caused such rage in me. One other was the movie: “I Spit On Your Grave”, where a girl had been violently raped, then abducted, then made a sex slave to a maniac and his family in a foreign land, before being discarded and buried alive. Throughout the movie, I felt murderous towards her attackers. In the movie, she got her revenge, but it was bittersweet to watch. At the end of the movie, my thought was – it doesn’t change what happened to her by one iota! Nothing can take that memory from her, unless she was fortunate enough to get into an accident and only suffer permanent memory loss. She would forever be traumatised.
Her revenge, though it must have felt empowering for her, and there was a part of me that felt glad that they didn’t ‘get away’ with it, didn’t ultimately change the situation for the many other girls who unfortunately still live victimised lives at the hands of such violaters! For true joy and peace to come, enlightenment and justice should have been the goal. But I dare not judge her actions.
The update on the case of the baby girl whose abuse was caught on video is that her father retaliated, and now the maid has to feed through a tube, and is confined to a wheelchair. This is highly ironic considering how she force fed the baby and crushed her bones with her feet! When I read this news, I was happy that the wicked woman got what she deserved. But I was also worried for the father, as his assault, though provoked, will require justice, even as the maid must serve time for her abuse of the child. As I pondered on this, I also thought about the spiritual justification of the father. His actions were obviously from rage, as he served old testament justice – an eye for an eye. But what would Jesus have done?
That’s the question I don’t want to answer (as I am still reeling with rage myself), but need to ask as a Christian, who’s guided by the Spirit of God. Can we as Christians really support an eye for an eye? In such an emotional situation, when vengeance is driving every cell in our body to right the wrong that has been done to us, can we really stop and say – “Vengeance is Yours, Lord!”?
It is hard in this world to depend on the Law Enforcement Authourities to bring justice to us, especially when we live in a less civilised or corrupt nation. But can we put our trust in the arm of God to bring about justice, and give ourselves over to the will of God to love and PRAY for our enemies? Can we tell our brother who takes vengeance that he was wrong to do so, and there’s a better way?
The Bible is clear that “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). We are called to take a stand against evil, but we can’t fight evil with evil. The result will still be evil, and no one is enlightened nor justified. May God help us as we confront evil in our lives.
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Grace and Truth 
I agree with you ufuomaee, two wrongs do not make a right, I have already shared with you what my response would be in Rescued from the Graveyard and I will share with you now about my Childhood years, perhaps it will give more understanding as to why I do not believe in and eye for and eye. If I saw my birth Mother today, I would comfort her, I have prayed for her many times.
Childhood- http://freedomborn.wordpress.com/2011/09/27/the-early-years-a-little-lost-girl/
Our sin caused Jesus to suffer greatly and our Heavenly Father, to condemn and hold resentment towards anyone else, means we have to minimize our own evil, I’m not saying we have to agree with evil, No we are to hate it but to condemn anyone else means we are condemning ourselves but yes we are still to stand up against evil and rebuke those in the Church who does it, with Love and for Love but we are to Love even our enemies, can we do this in the Carnal flesh, No it must be put to death. (Romans812-15- Romans6 – Colossians 3:4-6 -Galatians 5:24 -26)
Christian Love in Christ Jesus – Anne.
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I’ve read your post on the early years and it was very touching. When we are fully aware of our unworthiness, we can then extend mercy and grace to other. God is the mirror we all need to look at!!!
Thanks again for sharing, Anne. I pray that all’s well with your health and Ron’s too. Much love x
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Reblogged this on The Rising Star and commented:
Fair Life Africa Foundation is in suppprt of enlightenment and justice for the best interests of all victims of abuse. Our thoughts are with Kamanzi, Aneela and all their family, as they recover from their recent ordeal.
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Beautiful post Ufuo, I can’t say I feel any different from you. Hubby and I discussed this throughout yesterday and even spoke to our parents. Like you say, it’s sometimes really hard to say ‘Vengeance is yours Lord’ and I honestly don’t know if I could say/do that if I were in that situation. I just pray I’m not put in that situation ever cos it’s so easy to act on instinct and I’m sure I’d regret any hateful actions though the deed would have been done, because retaliation won’t repair the damage done to my child or me.
However one thing I’m a living testimony of is the grace of God..even when I neglect to pray for my human needs, I know that the Holy Spirit is always waiting to give me His grace once I ask and it is this grace that helps me hold back. I really can’t say I wouldn’t have revenge in my heart, but as I told hubby yesterday, I would have definitely removed myself from there or asked him to take the nanny away cos…..
I just pray for us all because these situations definitely test our faith. May God help us to choose right in all situations inspite of how difficult it may be.
Cheers.
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I love this honest contribution! We really know what we are made of when we are tested. May our love be proven!
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Great read. This was actually a discussion I had with my husband as soon as I read the little girls update. I started reading just thankful that the girl survived and was able to show her pretty smile again. But when I read that the maid had been beaten up so badly that she needed a wheelchair and feeding tubes I felt very uneasy. And then guilt set in. I had been so enraged by the video because as a mother it’s hard not to ask “what if that were my child?” I wanted to kill the girl myself after watching it. Confusion set in because I thought id be so happy about the maid’s beating. But the Holy Spirit was at work again cautioning me that the retaliation is not of God. Replaying the thought of a grown man beating a girl so badly she is in that physical state reminds me that the Devil is standing by waiting till our emotions make us vulnerable-and then he strikes. We are human and it’s not always easy but we need to be in a constant state of prayer and battle against the devil if we are going to overcome this struggle.
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Thanks Nnenna for this contribution. I felt the same way. The aim of all evil is to corrupt and spread like a virus, and when we don’t put those emotions in check, we can be used to propagate evil. We really have to work to counter evil with good!
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It’s not easy to let go of the rage when you hear such horrible stories. That’s why it’s important to always take a step back, breathe and ask God to take control. Great post, Ufuomaee.
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Thanks Josie 🙂 It’s particularly harder when we are the ones who have been victimised or oppressed. Learning to say God take control is hard and humbling. Nice to hear from you.
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That’s true. May God help us all.
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