JUST A THOUGHT
God is listed as a Being of vengeance. To the Israelites, this was a fantastic way of describing God. Especially since it was God taking vengeance on their enemies. Anyone would be happy if God made it His personal business to take retribution on whoever wronged you in some fashion. Sometimes we call it justice, and other times we want our proverbial pound of flesh. However, there is another aspect of God's character. His compassion.
There is a term when a character you're playing is overpowered in video games. They are at max levels with the best equipment and armor. Then the gamer takes this super-charged character into a region that they know has easier enemies and bosses to defeat. Doing this for your character is going into God-mode due to no one or nothing being able to stop your onslaught of pain and destruction. God did this to the Assyrians when he unleashed the Babylonians into their nation. However, before going into this absolute one-track mind of obliteration, God wanted to save the Assyrians. God's chosen vessel, Jonah.
The prophet Jonah did not want to have anything to do with saving the people of Nineveh. Jonah saw what they did to Israel. He lived through the aftermath of a stronger nation coming into your land and exiling people from their homes. Then God comes and says, let's give these people, the same people who caused pain in your life, a chance to repent of their evil ways. Jonah knew what would happen if the people did not repent. Chaos and death gushing through Assyria. However, God was a Lord of compassion and wanted to give this idolatrous nation at least an opportunity to change its ways.
It was an opportunity to change that Jonah had a problem. He knew that God was so loving that He would show compassion and hold off on destroying the Assyrian empire. Jonah wanted none of that and, at first, chose to go in the opposite direction of the Assyrian capital. Then God sent a storm to change Jonah's behavior. He preached what God told Him to say then sat on a hill in hopes of seeing a Sodom and Gomorrah-like destruction of Nineveh. That never came due to the Assyrians changing their behavior, which angered Jonah.
Truth be told, we can often exhibit similar behavior as Jonah. We might tell people and show others that we have God's character residing in us. However, if something terrible is likely to happen to a group or a person who has wronged us, then we are thrilled. We call it justice but in reality, what we desire is retribution and vengeance. There is an innate desire to see someone who has harmed us go through the pain of feeling what problems they put out into the world.
Nonetheless, God might want to give those people, that's right, the same people who did you wrong, an opportunity to repent. As we know, a person who repents might still have to face the consequences for their actions. Still, they might not go through the agony of being ripped to shreds in an emotional, financial, mental, or physical way.
God loves everyone. God even loves the people we can't stand or count as enemies. He is more than willing to allow everyone to change their ways. The Lord did this with the Assyrians. He might be doing this with people in your life, or to groups of people that might affect you, or even to a country you believe is a problem for your existence. We have to take on the character of God and show people compassion.
Let's not be like Jonah and wait for someone's demise. Instead, do what you're supposed to for God to reveal His character of love and compassion as well. In Jonah's case, the Assyrians changed their actions. It was a surprise, but it worked. In your case, the same thing might happen. Someone could be doing you wrong, and a show of compassion might change their behavior. However, this isn't always the case. Remember, an opportunity of mercy was given to Sodom and Gomorrah. Unlike Assyria, Sodom and Gomorrah did not change.
For you, do your part. God will look kindly upon your actions. You might show compassion or love to your enemies, and those people, in turn, let you down. If this is the case, at least you can sleep well, knowing that you fulfill what God called you to do. After that, don't worry about them, and know that God has something quite special for their lives. However, if those people change, praise God because they decided to choose the Lord and amend their ways. After all, this is what we're supposed to be doing, spreading the love and character of God, not waiting for the unobliterated destruction of another human being.
