I’ve heard this line before, typically in reference to people who have done something mean or unjust.

The fact that we have to say that can be frustrating though. It’s frustrating because we want drive-through justice! We want bad people to be punished immediately, and usually we have a specific form of justice in mind! In other words, we want it to happen quick, and it must also meet our standard of fairness.

For instance, if you could, how would you respond, what would you do to a convicted child molester? Chances are you know now what you would do, or at least you have a pretty good idea. Question: would you wait for a long time to administer justice? Answer: probably not. And there it is… you have just experienced drive-through justice. I want it NOW and I know exactly what I want.

Here’s the problem… most of us are not in the position to administer justice. More often than not we are not able to distribute pain to those who cause it. We are forced, many times, to watch while the bad guys get off the hook with a slap on the hand… or less.

ARRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!

So what do we do? Evil has been done… and the bad guy walks.

That’s where this old axiom becomes our hope, “They’ll get theirs.”

Actually, this proverb has biblical roots. I encountered it recently while reading through Psalms. Let me just put the entire chapter on this screen for you to read:

O LORD, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I need you the most?  ² Proud and wicked people viciously oppress the poor. Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.  ³ For they brag about their evil desires; they praise the greedy and curse the LORD.  ⁴ These wicked people are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.  ⁵ Yet they succeed in everything they do. They do not see your punishment awaiting them. They pour scorn on all their enemies.  ⁶ They say to themselves, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!”  ⁷ Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats. Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.  ⁸ They lurk in dark alleys, murdering the innocent who pass by. They are always searching for some helpless victim.  ⁹ Like lions they crouch silently, waiting to pounce on the helpless. Like hunters they capture their victims and drag them away in nets.  ¹⁰ The helpless are overwhelmed and collapse; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.  ¹¹ The wicked say to themselves, “God isn’t watching! He will never notice!”  ¹² Arise, O LORD! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not forget the helpless!  ¹³ Why do the wicked get away with cursing God? How can they think, “God will never call us to account” ?  ¹⁴ But you do see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in you. You are the defender of orphans.  ¹⁵ Break the arms of these wicked, evil people! Go after them until the last one is destroyed!  ¹⁶ The LORD is king forever and ever! Let those who worship other gods be swept from the land.  ¹⁷ LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them.  ¹⁸ You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so people can no longer terrify them. (Psalm 10:1-18 NLT)

Those last two verses (the ones I have bolded) give me hope.

God is not blind and He cannot be tricked. He sees, and someday He will bring justice to every story. Someday. Someday they will get theirs. Until then we wait. We hope. We let these verses of Scripture be our guide:

• Don’t delude yourself: God is not to be fooled; whatever someone sows, that is what he will reap. (Galatians 6:7 NJB)

• Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, “I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19 NLT)

• “I say, love your enemies!¹ Pray for those who persecute you!” (Jesus, Matthew 5:44 NLT)

If you have been on the receiving end of injustice and are reeling with the pain and apparent lack of justice, I pray for you today that God will restore your strength and confidence, and that you will no longer be a victim of another’s foolishness, but that you will be a victor having your confidence based in the strong love of a Father who will have His full vengeance on the wrongdoer soon.