Again, thank you for listening; today’s randomness is a fictional conversation between Pica, Baker, and me At a Coffee Shop entitled New Testament Retaliation, taken from Matthew 5:38-42.
I ran into Pica and Baker at the coffee shop today. That’s not their real names; it’s just what I call them. At my age, name association is paramount in remembering the little things.
Pica is a new believer in changing his eating habits from a lifelong junk food diet to the abundant life found in True Bread.
Baker has spent years in the bakery and is a master hand in the bakehouse. He is seasoned (if you will) kneading countless recipes with years of experience at life’s 350 degrees.
As they invited me over, I caught what seemed to be the closing thought in their conversation as I slid onto the booth bench next to Pica: “And that is the difference between retaliation and revenge,” summed up Baker.
“So, revenge, simply put,” repeated Pica, “is to inflict punishment for a wrong; whereas retaliation is to return like-for-like.”
“Correct!” smiled Baker, knowing the ingredients had been mixed properly.
Baker thought to put it in life’s oven, looking at me for a quick exclamation, hoping I could open the oven’s door.
“Excellent, Pica,” I chimed in, “Vengeance is the Lord’s, not ours, but we do retaliate—only not the way of the world.”
The curious look on Pica’s face let me know, at least this time, that I had set the table just right for Baker. We had been friends for a while, and I was learning Baker’s ways.
“Yes, you hear it said all the time, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’” Baker said, “but that’s not the practice of an abundant life. The abundant life retaliates not in kind but in kindness.”
I watched Pica’s brow furrow and his eyes squint in thought.
“It’s how we react following an act to us,” I shared, again hoping to set the table a little more for Pica’s understanding.
“Right as rain,” affirmed Baker. “Our reactions to actions taken towards us display the abundant life.”
“Here’s what Jesus taught about retaliation,” Baker said as he scrolled his Bible app, found Matthew 5:38-42, and gave his phone to Pica.
I watched Pica’s eyes shift from line to line. Once finished, he returned Baker’s phone, took a long sip of his vanilla latte, and offered his conclusion.
“When I was feasting on the non-nutritious, it was all about feeding myself and satisfying my own desires; however, this true Bread I hunger for is not about me and my personal desires; rather, it’s about the Lord’s ways and desires for me,” Pica determined.
“I shouldn’t repay evil for evil, but always try and do good,” he concluded.
“Right as rain!” Baker beamed, “The best we can, our forethought before any reaction should not be how this affects me, but how my reaction will affect them.”
As we drained our cups, I realized just how filling a cup of coffee and good conversation can be.
With fresh insight, Pica excused himself from the conversation, citing the need to get home and look into this new understanding. Settling back into my side of the booth, I looked at Baker as he stared down at his empty cup.
As he glanced up, he said, “It’s always enjoyable when Scripture can be shared with someone open and eager to learn,” his dark eyes revealed a sigh of contentment.
Then, I wondered how many conversations like this he had throughout his journey. Mentally expanding on his statement, I asked myself how many were fruitful, how many fell on deaf ears, or how many were choked out a few weeks down life’s journey by worldly cares.
Watching my mind spinning with those questions, Baker responded before I could tactfully ask the question.
“JP, I learned a long time ago that my joy is not found in results, but in the service,” he said, “I have no control over results; that is the Spirit’s work with the hearer; however, what I do control is my obedience to share — and share in a way where it can be heard.”
He continued, “So many want to share without concern for the hearer, but I want to be heard more than I want to speak. I want to speak with a quiet authority. Speaking with authority is not just repeating what I’ve heard — that is simply being a scribe — but speaking from an internal depth where that word was forged through prayer and experience.”
Baker spun his cup on the table, giving me the sign that he was done speaking, and opened the door for me to continue…if I wanted.
But I was speechless. My mind went from thoughts about others not hearing to wondering about me. How often have I been guilty of not listening to or taking personal conversations to heart the way I should?
As if Baker heard my internal exchange with myself, he offered me an out, “You know, JP, when it comes to the things of the Lord, I have found it’s always better to use a rake than a shovel: A shovel moves things away; whereas, a rake pulls things toward you.”
“Baker,” I replied, “I need a huge rake!”
He smiled, and I saw in his eyes that same smile of contentment that started our conversation. Unknown to me, though Pica had left the building, I was still sitting in his seat.