Vengeance belongs exclusively to God (Romans 12:17-19, quoted from Deuteronomy 32:35). Our Lord and Savior counsels His disciples to love their enemies in order that they be the offspring of their Heavenly Father (Matthew 5:43-44), demonstrating not only His mercy (Luke 6:35-36) but also their sonship by being peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). God's people must learn to live peaceably with all men, de-escalating rather than escalating conflict. Their Lord and Savior has already modeled this behavior for them (Isaiah 53:7, I Peter 2:22-23). Realizing that it is lack of faith that makes people take matters into their own hands, God's people must trust God, knowing that He alone grasps the "big picture" of any situation. Consequently, God's called-out ones must not return evil for evil, but instead blessing.