When I was around 4 years old, my parents and I lived in an apartment complex in Jackson. In the center of the complex was a swingset, slide, etc. for the children. One day, I found myself playing with two girls who were about my age. I believe they were sisters, and despite the fact that they'd arrived at the playground after I had, they weren't deterred from eventually pushing me off the swings in order to make room for themselves. To me it said, you're of no value, therefore we're removing you from your allotted position despite the fact that we had initially chosen to accept you.
As a result, my then 22-year old mother vindicated me by chewing the ass of their mother and father at their own apartment door. I remember my father standing in the background and me grinning victoriously as they experienced the wrath of Darlene.
This picture of vengeance is in alignment with Biblical truth, but in terms of day to day life, it's not nearly as clear cut / immediate.
Everyone wants justice. We long for it. What we don't want is owning the portion of our identity as Christians that pains us. That being the propensity for consistent rejection.
Rejection is one of the easiest and most sinfully gratifying choices we take part in. It's a power move ultimately, and that's where the gratification part comes in. It says "FUCK YOU!" or "GO TO HELL!"
What's difficult if not impossible for us as western Christians to comprehend though is how expectant we should be to experience it due to the fact that our beliefs truly are offensive to a pagan world.
I would argue that we're likely not truly living out our faith - to the nth degree - in and throughout our lives unless we're finding ourselves regularly being pushed off the swings.
May God increase our faith and comfort us relative to the world's rejection, and may we choose to not behave similarly, no matter how tempted we may be to make such an immature move.
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