August 16, 2026 - Trust God for Justice (Proverbs 24:28-29 - John Shearhart)

Aug 16, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God’s Justice Over Twisted Truth

When hurt, it’s easy to reshape stories to make others look worse. Twisting words distorts reality, like forced perspective photos that mislead. God calls His people to reject half-truths and exaggerated narratives, trusting Him to see the full picture. Honesty protects relationships and honors the God who judges justly. Every skewed detail we share reveals a heart clinging to control rather than grace. Choose integrity, even when it costs. [35:51]

Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. (Proverbs 24:28, ESV)

Reflection: When recounting a conflict, where do you tend to exaggerate or omit details? How might honesty free you from the weight of manipulation?

Day 2: Refusing Revenge in the Shadow of the Cross

Jesus endured injustice without retaliation, entrusting His pain to the Father. His scars remind believers that vengeance belongs to God alone. Holding onto payback fantasies chains us to bitterness, but releasing them mirrors Christ’s surrender. Every thought of retaliation is a choice: cling to temporary satisfaction or embrace eternal peace. The cross proves God’s justice will prevail. [38:31]

When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. (1 Peter 2:23, ESV)

Reflection: What specific hurt have you rehearsed in your mind this week? How would entrusting it to Jesus shift your focus?

Day 3: Grace When Justice Feels Bitter

God’s grace is unsettling when we crave others’ punishment. Yet His mercy toward us demands we wrestle with offering it to enemies. Grace doesn’t excuse harm but acknowledges God’s right to redeem both victim and offender. Resisting grace for others reveals pockets of unhealed pride. True freedom comes when we release others to God’s courtroom. [41:17]

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:17–18, ESV)

Reflection: Is there someone you secretly hope never experiences God’s grace? What would surrendering that desire cost you?

Day 4: Building Rooms of Goodness, Not Payback

Wisdom fills life’s “rooms” with actions that disarm evil. Doing good to those who hurt us—praying, serving, blessing—rebuilds broken spaces into havens of peace. Every act of kindness loosens resentment’s grip. Like Joseph providing for his betrayers, goodness proves God’s power to rewrite stories of pain. [59:36]

But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. (Luke 6:27–28, ESV)

Reflection: What one practical good could you do this week for someone who wronged you? How might this act defy bitterness?

Day 5: Joseph’s Choice: God’s Goodness Over Vengeance

Joseph’s brothers expected retaliation, but he saw God’s hand in their cruelty. His refusal to weaponize his power displays radical trust in divine purpose. Letting go of payback requires believing God wastes no pain. Every betrayal becomes a thread in His redemption tapestry. [53:06]

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:19–20, ESV)

Reflection: Where has a past hurt blinded you to God’s greater purpose? How might revisiting that pain with Joseph’s perspective heal you?

Sermon Summary

Proverbs 24 sets the whole picture inside a house built by wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the foundation, trust in the Lord is like load bearing walls, Scripture is the blueprint, and guarding the heart is like doors that keep the thief out. Knowledge fills the rooms with “precious and pleasant riches,” and one of those riches is the peace that comes when God’s people trust him after being wronged.

Proverbs 24:28-29 gets right into that old urge to pay somebody back. The text does not pretend that wrongs are small, and it does not erase legitimate justice or healthy boundaries. Verse 28 says, “Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips,” and that means a wounded person must refuse to twist the truth. The courtroom image shows a witness who has a chance to make an enemy look worse than the facts really allow. Forced perspective tells the same story: from one angle a man looks like he is about to flick another man off a cliff, but the truth is not that picture at all. Hurt can make a person tell the story with the wrong angle, leave out the details that would soften it, and make the other person look as bad as possible.

Peter points to Jesus as the better way. Jesus was whipped, mocked, crowned with thorns, nailed to a cross, and reviled, but “he did not revile in return.” Christ kept handing himself over to the one who judges justly. Entrusting means handing it over, even betraying the desire to strike back, because God’s justice is not payback, and God’s judgment is right.

Verse 29 presses even deeper: “Do not say, I will do to him as he has done to me.” The proverb does not merely forbid revenge in action. The proverb forbids rehearsing revenge in the mind, nursing the rant, and saying over and over what the other person deserves. Jesus’s command to love enemies, do good, bless, and pray for abusers exposes how ridiculous and holy the standard really is. Paul’s line makes the picture clear: evil is not overcome by adding more evil to it. Evil is overcome with good, the way darkness leaves when the light turns on.

Joseph’s story shows what that trust looks like in flesh and blood. His brothers meant evil against him, but God meant it for good. Joseph did not pretend the evil was not real, but he also refused to take God’s place. The gospel gives the power for that kind of grace, because sinners who wanted mercy from God can learn to offer grace to another person. God calls wounded people to hand it over, change the way the story is told, and do something good for the one who caused the pain.

Key Takeaways

1. Truth must not be twisted A wounded heart can tell the facts and still bend the picture. Proverbs warns against that kind of forced perspective, where the story gets framed so the other person looks worse and the teller looks cleaner. Trusting God means refusing to serve justice with a crooked tongue, even when the pain is real. [37:01]
2. Jesus handed himself over Christ did not answer reviling with reviling, even when every accusation against him was wicked. His way was not weakness, but a deliberate entrusting of himself to the Father who judges justly. The cross shows that real strength can refuse payback because God’s justice is never confused, rushed, or petty. [38:31]
3. Revenge begins in the mouth Proverbs does not only say, “Do not do it.” Proverbs says not even to say, “I will pay him back.” The repeated rant in the mind trains the heart to love revenge before the hands ever act it out. [45:11]
4. Good overcomes evil’s rule Evil wins when injury turns the injured person into another source of darkness. Paul’s command shows that evil is overcome only when good answers it with another kingdom’s logic. Doing good to an enemy is not pretending the wound is small, but refusing to let the wound become lord. [47:13]
5. Grace tests the heart deeply The hardest question is not whether justice is desired, but whether grace for the offender would be acceptable. Joseph named his brothers’ evil honestly, yet he still provided for them because God had been working beyond their malice. Grace does not deny wrong, but it refuses to take God’s seat.

## [52:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:28] - Proverbs 24 and the Wisdom House
[28:12] - Trusting God When Wronged
[31:47] - Do Not Pay Back Evil
[32:16] - Refuse to Twist the Truth
[35:21] - Forced Perspective and Hurtful Stories
[38:31] - Jesus Entrusted Himself to God
[40:10] - Truth, Justice, Payback, and Grace
[42:46] - Refuse to Get Even
[45:11] - Do Not Even Say Revenge
[47:13] - Overcome Evil With Good
[50:09] - Joseph and God’s Greater Good
[55:11] - The Gospel for Sinners
[58:32] - Three Practical Next Steps
[60:32] - Prayer for Grace and Trust

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Proverbs 24:28-29
“Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. Do not say, ‘I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.’” [31:47]

1 Peter 2:23
“When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” [38:33]

Luke 6:27-28
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” [45:55]

Romans 12:21
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” [47:18]

Genesis 50:19-21
“But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” [52:50]

Observation questions

In Proverbs 24:28, what two wrong uses of speech are named, and what setting or picture helps explain what is happening in that verse? [32:50]
In 1 Peter 2:23, what are the specific things Jesus did not do when he was mistreated, and what did he continue doing instead?
In Proverbs 24:29, what does the verse forbid a person even to say, and what does that reveal about where revenge often begins? [45:11]
In Genesis 50:19-21, what did Joseph say about his brothers’ evil, and what good actions did he take toward them anyway? [53:48]

Interpretation questions

Proverbs 24:28 warns against being a witness “without cause” and against deceiving with the lips. How does that help distinguish between telling the truth for legitimate justice and twisting the truth for personal payback? [33:50]
Jesus “continued entrusting himself” to the One who judges justly. What does that suggest about how a believer handles repeated hurt, especially when the desire to strike back keeps returning? [39:37]
Jesus commands people to love enemies, do good, bless, and pray for abusers. Why is that more than simply refusing outward revenge? What does it reveal about the kind of heart change God is after? [46:18]
Joseph said, “Am I in the place of God?” How does that line help a person think clearly about justice, control, and the limits of their own role when they have been deeply wronged? [52:57]

Application questions

When telling the story of a hurt or conflict, where might forced perspective be slipping in? Are there details being exaggerated, omitted, or framed in a way that makes the other person look worse and the speaker look cleaner? [37:08]
Is the deeper desire in a present situation really for justice, or is it for payback? Would it honestly be hard to accept if God showed grace to the person who caused the pain? [41:10]
What does revenge sound like in the mind before it ever becomes an action? Are there repeated inner speeches, imaginary arguments, or private rants that need to be brought before God? [45:21]
What might it look like this week to hand a specific hurt over to God again and again, especially if the anger keeps coming back every few minutes? [58:45]
How could the story be retold more truthfully and more graciously the next time it comes up in conversation? What would change if the same measure of mercy desired from God was shown in the way that story is told? [59:15]
What is one concrete act of good that could be done for a difficult person right now? Could it be prayer by name, a kind word, practical help, or a refusal to keep feeding the resentment? [59:38]
Where has bitterness been stealing peace from the house God is building? What “door” may need to be shut so that resentment does not keep ruling the heart? [42:38]

Sermon Clips

53s

#EntrustToGod

“``He entrusted himself. You know what that means? To entrust yourself. The Greek literally means to hand it over. It's actually, it doesn't mean betrayal in this sense, but just to give you a a broader picture of the meaning of the word, it means to betray. So you're betraying yourself. This is what I want. What I want is to call down all these angels and come and just vaporize you people and get me off this cross. What I want is for you to suffer for the wrong that you've done. But I'm gonna betray that want. I'm not gonna do it. Instead, I'm going to entrust myself. I'm gonna give myself over to God because he judges in the right way. And his justice isn't out of anger. It's not payback. His justice is just. It's right.”

48s

#OvercomeEvilWithGood

“There's so much evil in the world. What do we do when we are also evil? We're adding to it, aren't we? We're letting it rain in our lives and rule over our decisions. He says, no, don't be overcome by that. Don't let this beat you. Don't let your desire in your heart, that twisted desire for justice, ruin what God is doing in your life. Don't be overcome by it. Instead, the only way that evil is overcome is the same way darkness is overcome by light. Turn the lights on, darkness is gone. You do good, the evil is gone. It's not in you anyway. The other you can't help what the other person does. God's got that though.”

59s

#ChooseTrustNotVengeance

“At the end of the day, this is really about making just a deliberate decision. can talk about faith, we can talk about all the steps and the methods and all that, But what it really comes down to is, you're gonna have to make a choice. I'm gonna have to make a choice. And it might not be a one time choice that just gets one and done solved. Right? It could be something I have to make every five minutes. God, I'm just gonna trust you for justice. I'm I when I've been wronged, I wanna trust you. I'm not gonna twist my words. I'm not gonna try and get even. And then you find yourself, oh, hold on. Hold on. No. I'm trusting in God. I'm not going on this rant again. I'm not gonna say with the things that I wanna do. I'm gonna back off. I'm gonna believe that he is who he says he is, and then I'm going to leave it in his hands. I'm going to entrust it to him. This is not my watch, God. It's your watch.”

65s

#TellTruthChooseGrace

“So let me ask you this question. Think about one big thing. Probably, I'm guessing probably everybody has something in your minds. Is that just, like, just nod your head at me if you believe. Yeah, that's true. I can think of where this applies in my life. Yeah? Yeah? Good. Good. Okay. When you tell the story, are you telling the truth? Or are you twisting it? Do you give that person as much charity in the comments that were made and the timing of the comments as you would hope to receive yourself? Are you telling the truth or are you twisting it? Is your hope legitimate justice or payback? are you telling the truth or are you twisting it? Is your hope for legitimate justice or is it for payback? And I wanna ask you one more question that I think makes it even more poignant. Would you be okay with grace? Would you be okay if the person got grace from God?”

64s

#GraceForOthersToo

“Now, got tripped up on that part. I have I have to admit that there is there is something there are the things in my life, there's something in my life that is difficult and I I don't want to I don't want it. I want it go away. I feel like I'm not really twisting it. I keep that under control. I feel like, yeah, legit justice is what I want and not payback. Would I be okay with grace? Okay. That's where my heart needs a little work, I guess. Because I want justice. But not for me. I want I want mercy for me. I want grace for me. The same God who gave me that grace is the same God who serves that other person, who is over that other person, who created the other person. The person is made in God's image. Inherent value just in that. Would I be okay with grace? Imagine how much different it could be if you did. Imagine what your responses would be like.”

50s

#LoveEnemiesDoGood

“That is a ridiculous standard, isn't it? I don't want to do that. That's sin. That's where the struggle is. That's why this is relevant. Because you do, you read it that first time. They're going, I don't do that. I don't go to court and tell lies on people. But do you walk around thinking about what you'd do to that guy if you had the chance? And and it doesn't have to be like, you know, I'm gonna hit you with a hammer. It could be just, want you to feel bad. You you did this to me. I'm gonna get you right back and do the exact same thing. It doesn't have to be that. I just wanna make you feel what you've done. I want you to know that you hurt me, and I want you to be aware of the justice that needs to be served on you. Jesus says that's not the way. Love your enemies and do good and bless. Don't do the other.”

42s

#ContinualEntrustment

“And so Jesus, he says, continued. I love that word, continued. It happened again though. Yeah, but I'm telling you, it just keeps happening and it won't stop. He entrusted himself continually. He continued to entrust himself to the one who judges justly even when he was reviled. Okay? So the only thing for me to do when it comes to me telling stories and when me talking about what someone did to me and how it went down is, number one, to trust that God knows what he's doing. I can trust in his justice. So therefore, I can entrust myself to him. I can give myself over to you.”

41s

#HopeAndEntrustment

“This is a great example of what it looks like when you actually entrust yourself to God. And you say, okay, you know what? That was really wrong, and you've caused me a lot of pain. There is my life before you and after you, but I'm trusting God. And I'm not wishing for judgment on you. I know that God is a God of grace, and where there's the gospel, there's hope. And so I choose to put my hope in that gospel. God is gonna do something in you, and God is gonna do something in me to restore the relationship. And even if that's not the way it goes, God is good. And I trust him when I'm wronged.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Genesis Boyne (Genesis Church Boyne City) This sermon · AI assistant

How should Christians respond when they have been wronged?

What does refusing to twist the truth look like?

Why entrust justice to God instead of revenge?