Jenny had been praying for her best friend next door.
She asked every day for the Lord to move in Marion's heart, and save her.
Jenny had asked Marion to come to Sunday school, and she said she would - one day.
It was looking good!
Marion came over for their family Bible reading once,
and asked Dad some questions about prayers and God.

Now everything was different!
Jenny had gone over to visit at Marion's house,
and they had had an awful bust up.
Marion had borrowed Jenny's photograph album.
It had a lovely yellow cover with lace ruffles.
The back had a pocket in it for notes and things.
Photos of school friends were in the album,
and pictures of some of the girls' club outings. (They went to a fun club together.)
Well, Marion had stood a cup of hot chocolate on the cover,
and now it had an ugly brown stain on it.
Right on the lovely lace front!

Jenny was really mad!
She took her album home, and she said that she would get even with Marion.
"I'll spoil something of hers, and see if she likes it!"
"Why do you want to get even?" Mum asked Jenny.
"Because it isn't fair. It isn't right. She was so careless!"
Her eyes filled with tears.
Mum got the Bible and began to read.
Then she explained what it had to say:

"King Saul had a great jealousy against David
(remember, he killed the giant Goliath?)
Saul tried to kill poor David a number of times, but it didn't work.
God was caring for David.
One day Saul was fast asleep in a cave, and David saw him.
He realised it was his chance to get even, and get rid of Saul by killing him.
David's men told him to kill the wicked king, but David did not get even.
He was a person who loved God.
He only cut a piece from the King's robe to show he had been there.
David said that it was not for him to get revenge.
God would take care of that." (1 Samuel 24:1-7).

Jenny listened carefully.
Then she said,
"Mum, I suppose Marion didn't mean to spoil my album.
And I am wrong to try and get even."
Mum was glad about that.
Because she knew that Jenny would soon win Marion for Christ.
But she had to forgive her friend to do that.

Nearly the whole world is filled with the desire for revenge!
Nations want to get even with other nations.
People form groups against one another even in the same country, and kill one another mainly out of the desire to get even.
Some disagreement or other started it all off.  Individuals do the same, keeping feuds going for years. But if we follow Christ Jesus we must learn to leave God to bring His judgement into situations.

Jesus never sought to get even
with those who arrested Him and hung Him on the Cross.
He cried out to the Father as He suffered there:

If you have anything against anyone right now, forgive them, and commit the situation to the Lord. Name those people or that person right now, before God, and ask Him to fill you with peace and forgiveness.