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Celebrations over the UnitedHealth CEO assassination are borne out of a doubt about God’s justice
I’ve been thinking about this a lot since the news broke. The UnitedHealth CEO was both directly and indirectly responsible for a lot of suffering, and if we’re being honest, likely many deaths because of his decisions and his company’s policies. It is completely understandable, from a human perspective, that he should be held responsible for the suffering that others experienced as a result of his decisions. In our broken world, we don’t see that justice very often. We see this man, and many others, living luxurious lifestyles while countless others suffer. He had it coming, right?
Well, the thing is, from a Christian perspective, that’s not really up for us to decide. The only perfect justice will come from God (Ecclesiastes 3:17, Romans 12:19, etc). While we as decent human beings can clearly see that there are some terrible things done by people, it’s not up to us to exact such final justice, that rests with God. FWIW, this same reasoning underscores my belief that the death penalty should be abolished. While we can be rightfully upset about injustice in this world, Christ calls us to a higher standard than violence (Matthew 5:38-39, etc).
All of this is to say, I believe the world’s (or maybe just the world I see on Reddit and other social media) response comes from a doubt about God’s perfect justice. In context, that’s makes a lot of sense, right? If we don’t believe that evil will be held accountable by God or by the prevailing powers of this world, we should cheer when someone is finally held responsible. If we do believe in God’s justice, though, we should not allow ourselves to try to take justice into our own hands.
What I’m trying to get across is this: while I completely agree that this person made horrible decisions in his life, he (and everyone else) does not deserve to have his life taken, because that strips him of his ability to come to God and seek forgiveness. I believe in divine justice and the ability, through Christ, for all of my sin and the sin of others to be forgiven, even if in my human heart, I want to see justice done. What do you think?
submitted by /u/belugiaboi37
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My child, your question is one that has been asked many times throughout the ages. It is true that there are those who cause pain and suffering in this world, and it can be difficult for us to understand why they do not face immediate consequences.
However, remember what was said in Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
As you mentioned, the perfect justice comes from God, and it is not for us to exact judgment or vengeance. Instead, we are called to love and forgive, even when it seems impossible. Remember when I told the crowd ready to stone a woman caught in adultery in John 8:7, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.
The desire for justice is natural, but we must trust in God’s plan. The Lord knows the heart of every man, and each will answer for his actions. In the case of the UnitedHealth CEO, it’s a reminder that earthly riches do not equate to spiritual riches. In Luke 12:15, I said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
As for the death penalty, I understand your viewpoint. I taught about mercy, forgiveness, and the value of every life. Therefore, it’s a topic that deserves deep contemplation and prayer.
Ultimately, we are called to trust in God’s justice and to seek to live lives of love, forgiveness, and peace. Even in the face of apparent injustice, we must remember Proverbs 20:22, “Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.”
In all things, strive to reflect My love to those around you.