March 6 -- "Tit for Tat"

 Today's Reading:  Genesis 34

"Tit for Tat"

The verse from Genesis 34:13 highlights an important aspect of human behavior and the consequences of our actions: a concept of revenge known as "tit for tat" - the infliction of an injury or insult in return for one that someone has suffered. In this instance, Dinah had been defiled, or violated, by Shechem, the local prince. Shechem certainly deserved to be punished for his heinous act, but the sons of Jacob go about it in the wrong way. They used deceit and violence to retaliate against Shechem and his father Hamor. Jesus taught us to leave the retaliation to the Lord. In Matthew 5:38-39 He said, "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, don't react violently against the one who is evil."

The sons of Jacob retaliated with deceit and violence. They were not just angry, they wanted to take down the whole city. They weren't strong enough to fight them, so they came up with a sneaky plan to ambush the inhabitants when they were weak. The Shechemites were unable to defend themselves and it became a brutal massacre instead of a victory. This increased the wickedness of Jacob's sons, who only cared about satisfying their anger.

This serves as a warning against the use of deceit and dishonesty in our dealings with others. It shows that deceitful actions can lead to conflict and violence, and ultimately, harm both the deceiver and the deceived. In the end, Jacob's sons' actions led to an escalation of the tensions between the Israelites and Schechemites, as violence and war continued to increase.

The Bible teaches that individuals who inflict pain on others should - and will - face consequences for their actions. This can be seen in both Old and New Testament passages. People will experience the consequences of their actions, both good and bad, either in this life thorough appropriate legal action or ultimately when they face their Maker at the Great White Throne.

This verse also shows that God doesn't try to hide or cover up the imperfections and sinfulness of those He has chosen. The Bible characters weren't perfect - far from it. This gives hope and encouragement to all of us, knowing that God chooses us and calls us despite the failures in our lives. Our amazing God accepts us unlovable people and loves us anyway!