恩慈或報復？在美國少年棒球聯盟地區錦標賽中，球員艾賽亞被投手的一個暴投擊中了頭部。他隨即抱頭倒地，幸好有頭盔的保護，沒有受到嚴重的傷害。當比賽重新開始的時候，他察覺到這名投手因剛才的失誤而顫抖不安。在那一刻，艾賽亞做了一個讓人意想不到的舉動，以致這段視頻在網路上瘋傳：艾賽亞走向投手，給他一個溫馨的擁抱，確保投手知道他並不介意。在這可能會導致紛爭的處境下，艾賽亞選擇以恩慈待人。

在舊約聖經，我們看見以掃做出類似但更加困難的抉擇，也就是放棄原先的復仇計劃，不再報復那欺騙他的孿生弟弟雅各。當雅各流浪二十年後回到家鄉，以掃不因雅各對他造成的傷害而進行報復，反倒是以原諒和恩慈對待他。就像當以掃一看見雅各，便「跑來迎接他，將他抱住」(創世記33章4節)。以掃接受雅各的道歉，並讓雅各知道自己早就心無芥蒂（9-11節）。

當有人傷害了我們而對此表示懊悔時，我們可以選擇要寬容他或報復他。願你我能以耶穌為榜樣，選擇以恩慈包容他們（羅馬書5章8節），這也是走向和解之路。

Kindness or revenge? Isaiah had just been hit in the head by a wild pitch during a Little League regional championship baseball game. He dropped to the ground holding his head. Thankfully, his helmet protected him from serious injury. As play resumed, Isaiah noticed the pitcher was visibly shaken by his unintentional error. In that moment, Isaiah did something so extraordinary that the video of his response went viral. He walked over to the pitcher, gave him a comforting hug, and made sure the pitcher knew he was all right. In a situation that could have resulted in a brawl, Isaiah chose kindness.

In the Old Testament, we see Esau make a similar, though far more difficult, choice to abandon any long-harbored plans for revenge against his deceiving twin brother Jacob. As Jacob returned home after twenty years in exile, Esau chose kindness and forgiveness instead of vengeance for the ways Jacob had wronged him. When Esau saw Jacob, he “ran to meet [him] and embraced him” (Genesis 33:4). Esau accepted Jacob’s apology and let him know he was all right (vv. 9-11).

When someone demonstrates remorse for wrongs committed against us, we have a choice: kindness or revenge. Choosing to embrace them in kindness follows Jesus’ example (Romans 5:8) and is a pathway toward reconciliation.