Who Exactly Are You Paying Back?
Updated: Dec 23, 2024
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid035yuyqEDxM7JWErms6xfYi4eK4eBresCeCiH5o6GNmHMGaxzsC
"Kill them with kindness and move on." -- Preston Jefferson, fitness trainer, entrepreneur, and digital creator
“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” -- attributed to Confucius, philosopher and politician
"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" (Romans 12:19). -- Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
Good advice or righteous instructions can sometimes be hard to take when we feel that we have been cruelly or unfairly wronged. It can truly be a challenge to let go of hatred and a desire for some payback. Personally, I have a memory like the proverbial elephant (https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52381/it-true-elephants-never-forget). Well, there may be some wisdom in not forgetting those that have wronged us, but it is almost certainly a mistake to plot and seek revenge.
I saw the Facebook post (see link above) from Mr. Preston Jefferson and I reflected upon just how difficult it can be to forego the desire to seek revenge. Not just for humanity in general, but for me on a very personal level. I read what he wrote, agreed wholeheartedly, and yet I know that it can be difficult for me to let go of those attacks, insults, slights, and actions taken against me. But I know that it is certainly not a Christian thing to do to fantasize about getting revenge. Neither is actually plotting it and carrying out such a plot.
Revenge certainly seems to be a selfish thing to pursue and perhaps the best way to move beyond feeling the need to get revenge is to understand that seeking revenge is ultimately harmful to the person seeking it. Maybe it is a good idea for our own sake to be selfish enough not to seek revenge.
Below are links to articles on the topic. If you struggle with the need for revenge, check them out and maybe do some additional reading and thinking on the subject. Plenty of wise men and women have maintained that the pursuit of revenge is often ruinous to the person seeking it. And if we become like our hated enemies deep down inside where it counts, is getting our revenge really a win? I would suggest that it is not.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/tech-support/201707/the-psychology-revenge-and-vengeful-peop
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