In the Third Psalm, David begged God, "Strike all my enemies on the jaw!" (3:7, NIV). It probably didn't matter to David whether the Lord used a right hook or a left jab. He just wanted his enemies done in. After more than three decades in ministry, I confess that David-like prayers for retribution have sometimes spewed from my mouth.

My suggested methods for the Lord's vengeance have been just as creative as the psalmist's. I've hoped some of my more vicious antagonists wouldn't survive surgery and that others' boats would sink a thousand miles from shore. For others, a quiet demise in the middle of the night would have satisfied me. These admissions would likely shock some of my friends--even some of my enemies. In fact, they shame me, even though I know that everyone in ministry struggles with the antics and attacks of enemies.

Surprisingly, though, now that I approach three-score years, I am beginning to appreciate my enemies. The Lord is even bringing me to a conviction that enemies ...