1 Peter 2:23
“and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.”
Jesus is amazing. All of the actions described in this verse are painful. To be reviled is to be abused. Suffering because of other’s actions. His response was to keep trusting The Lord.
He was reviled. To be abused is treated unfairly or improperly. When Jesus started His ministry, came to His home town. They wouldn’t accept Him. When He called them on it they tried to push Him off a cliff. He walked away (Luke 24).
Jesus did point out their wrong, “no prophet is accepted in His hometown” (verse 24). The verse in Peter says that “He did not relive in return”. While being abuse, He did not return abuse.
I’m sure He wanted to. It’s said that He was tempted in every way, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). We have all been abused. We have been so humiliated that we can’t stop thinking about it. We go further to imagine how we can get back at the abuser. This can go on for years. Jesus had the power to get back at them. Yet, He didn’t do so.
How did He do this? Peter says that “He entrusted Himself to Him who judges righteously.” This is interesting. This gives us an insight as to how Jesus dealt with His frustrations when it came to this injustice. He didn’t just forget about it. He gave it to God. He gave it to God to judge. A wrong was done. It needs to be righted. That was for God to deal with.
This is how Jesus could say, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44). He knew that the “justice part” would be handled by God. Jesus didn’t have to balance the scales. He could love others knowing His Father would somehow make it right.
Lord, help us to trust You with our difficulties. Help us to trust You, so we can love others.