The Sweet Feed and the Cob!
Title: The Sweet Feed and the Cob!
Category: Emotional Issues
Subject: Revenge
The Sweet Feed and the Cob!
Dr. Vincent D. Hefner, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Cherryville, North Carolina
Years ago, I knew a man who was a high-ranking political figure in his “party.” He was, without question, the most influential person in his state. He had held this position for a number of years, and felt that he would remain in this position until he decided to retire. He was wrong. As politics go, he was replaced at his position of influence at the height of his power. Just about everybody in our area was shocked when he was defeated from his most choice position. I went to talk to him about this situation, but I don’t believe I was able to bring him any comfort. He didn’t want to talk about his defeat, and I wanted to bring it up. After speaking about generalities for a few minutes, I left his home with a sense that I had not accomplished my goal of cheering him up and pointing him to the big picture of continuing to help those people who elected him to office.
After a few weeks, I ran into some of his political friends and I asked them how he was doing. One of the men spoke up and said, “Oh, he’ll be o.k. He told me that he was going to play nice for a while, you know, give those people the “sweet feed,” and when the time was right, he was going make them choke on the “cob.” I immediately knew what the man meant by this term. The man was going to act like everything was fine and dandy, and even be nice to the people that defeated him. But, when the time was right, he was going to exact revenge on those same people. I don’t believe I will ever forget that conversation and how it made me feel about revenge.
I’m not sure if the man ever got his chance to get his revenge on his enemies, but if revenge was on his mind, he lived and died a miserable man. Revenge is the exact opposite of forgiveness. A person who lives for revenge is a person that feels he doesn’t need or want forgiveness in his life. A forgiving spirit is the lifeline of a Christian, without it we are powerless against the things and events of this world. The revenge grows into bitterness, and bitterness affects every area of our lives. It is impossible to receive directions for living from the Lord while holding on to hard feelings. When revenge rules, we feel that we have the responsibility to “get even” with those people who have hurt us in our lives.
The feeling of revenge is universal to humanity. When we are hurt we want to get even and, in our minds make things right. However, is that our place? There is a man in the Bible named Joseph, who was mistreated by his own brothers when they sold him in to slavery. Even thought he continued to follow God, people continued to slander him and even forget when he had helped them. The circumstances of life never changed his character toward others, or his faith in God’s will for his life. As a matter of fact, he viewed his life from the position that God was in control of all things, and whatever evil people may have done against him, God was going to make it work out for the good.
In Genesis 50:15, 19-20 says, “But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became afraid.” ‘Now Joseph will pay us back for all the evil we did to him,’ they said. But Joseph told them, ‘Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, to judge and punish you? As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people.’
How do you live your life in regards to revenge or forgiveness? Which one rules your heart? Is it the “sweet feed of revenge” or is it “sweet Spirit of God?”
Remember, don’t give in to sin. Think about it!
Dr. Vincent D. Hefner, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Cherryville, North Carolina
Years ago, I knew a man who was a high-ranking political figure in his “party.” He was, without question, the most influential person in his state. He had held this position for a number of years, and felt that he would remain in this position until he decided to retire. He was wrong. As politics go, he was replaced at his position of influence at the height of his power. Just about everybody in our area was shocked when he was defeated from his most choice position. I went to talk to him about this situation, but I don’t believe I was able to bring him any comfort. He didn’t want to talk about his defeat, and I wanted to bring it up. After speaking about generalities for a few minutes, I left his home with a sense that I had not accomplished my goal of cheering him up and pointing him to the big picture of continuing to help those people who elected him to office.
After a few weeks, I ran into some of his political friends and I asked them how he was doing. One of the men spoke up and said, “Oh, he’ll be o.k. He told me that he was going to play nice for a while, you know, give those people the “sweet feed,” and when the time was right, he was going make them choke on the “cob.” I immediately knew what the man meant by this term. The man was going to act like everything was fine and dandy, and even be nice to the people that defeated him. But, when the time was right, he was going to exact revenge on those same people. I don’t believe I will ever forget that conversation and how it made me feel about revenge.
I’m not sure if the man ever got his chance to get his revenge on his enemies, but if revenge was on his mind, he lived and died a miserable man. Revenge is the exact opposite of forgiveness. A person who lives for revenge is a person that feels he doesn’t need or want forgiveness in his life. A forgiving spirit is the lifeline of a Christian, without it we are powerless against the things and events of this world. The revenge grows into bitterness, and bitterness affects every area of our lives. It is impossible to receive directions for living from the Lord while holding on to hard feelings. When revenge rules, we feel that we have the responsibility to “get even” with those people who have hurt us in our lives.
The feeling of revenge is universal to humanity. When we are hurt we want to get even and, in our minds make things right. However, is that our place? There is a man in the Bible named Joseph, who was mistreated by his own brothers when they sold him in to slavery. Even thought he continued to follow God, people continued to slander him and even forget when he had helped them. The circumstances of life never changed his character toward others, or his faith in God’s will for his life. As a matter of fact, he viewed his life from the position that God was in control of all things, and whatever evil people may have done against him, God was going to make it work out for the good.
In Genesis 50:15, 19-20 says, “But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became afraid.” ‘Now Joseph will pay us back for all the evil we did to him,’ they said. But Joseph told them, ‘Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, to judge and punish you? As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people.’
How do you live your life in regards to revenge or forgiveness? Which one rules your heart? Is it the “sweet feed of revenge” or is it “sweet Spirit of God?”
Remember, don’t give in to sin. Think about it!
