Here is a story taken out of 1 Samuel 25 about David and a man named Nabal...


David was now on the run from Saul and hiding here and there. David and those who followed him were not in the position to carry much food and provision so they had to depend on the kindness of others. 


Nabal was a wealthy man of the tribe of Judah who was in the close vicinity of David and his men. When David came to Nabal and asked of him some provision Nabal refused him.  The law of God stated, however, that if any of their brethren sought help from them they could not turn them down (Deut 15:7,8). So by Nabal's obstinacy he was deserving of Judgment. So after David heard Nabal's response, he and 400 of his men mounted up to go make Nabal "pay" for his rebellion.


The problem with this is that David was not offended for God's sake or because God's law was broken, David was offended because his pride and ego was smacked. You see, David had protected Nabal's shepherds in the field and he expected Nabal to repay him and when Nabal refused it infuriated David. The anger David felt was not righteous but selfish.


If you follow the story God deals with Nabal in His way and in His time- ten days later Nabal drops dead. But it was never in David's power to go make Nabal "pay". Thankfully, God sent a sweet spirited lady named Abigail to intercept David before he made a grave mistake in taking vengeance.


God says, "vengeance is mine saith the LORD".  It was not David's place to make Nabal pay for his sins- that is God's place alone.  Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.


Sowing and reaping is God's law and God is able to take care of his own business. If God can open the ground and swallow up 250 people for rebellion He does not need our help to make people "pay"!


The usual reason we want people to "pay" for an offence is because our pride and ego is smacked but making people reap what they sow is not our place.



So before you give someone the evil eye or talk bad about them or act like a fool, like Nabal, remember that God has things under control.  Our place is to be kind one to another tenderhearted and forgiving one anther as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.