As I developed further in my thinking, I began to wonder whether Edwards' portrait should always be taken at face value and directly applied. When one sins against you, is it not most charitable to point out his fault and invite him to repentance? Did Jesus not instruct us to do so in Matthew 18? My answer was to be found in the two biblical accounts of David's confrontation of Saul. Twice he was given the opportunity to kill Saul, but refused to do so. In each of those incidents he not only spared Saul, but spoke the truth to the mad king about his unjust persecution as well as David's own innocence and merciful treatment of Saul. In this story I heard the call to speak the truth in love to those who sin against me and to invite them to repentance.
Now as I revisit the story, I see yet another aspect of David's response. David did not confront Saul with his sin while he was still serving in Saul's court, within reach of Saul's spear. David only confronted Saul from a safe distance. He may have been emotionally and relationally vulnerable, but was physically safe - out of reach of his deadly spear. Furthermore, he provided clear and undeniable evidence of his own innocence and Saul's guilt. Saul had to be jolted out of his self-deception, even if only temporarily.
David was decidedly non-retaliatory, charitably confrontational, but never reckless in his dealings with the mad king. We have much to learn from the shepherd of Israel.