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Hated someone so much you’ve been angry for days? If you have, I’m not the only one.

Revenge is ugly but common. 

If someone wrongs you, it’s natural to want justice.

Justice is a virtue that everyone should pursue, but revenge is when justice oversteps the mark.

Justice means holding the other person responsible for their actions so they fairly receive repercussions, while rehabilitating that person (so the offender doesn’t repeat their mistakes).

The perfect example of justice comes from the Bible:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’

But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

Matthew 5:38–39 Bible: New International Version (NIV)

Turning the other cheek doesn’t mean letting others harm you endlessly; it means breaking the cycle of revenge.

When we break the cycle of revenge, it’s easier to be objective and work towards justice.

Seeking revenge clouds our judgment and stops us from seeing things clearly and fairly.

An Example When I Let Revenge Get The Best Of Me

I was driving into my local supermarket car park to do some shopping, and a male driver pulled out in front of me, almost causing a collision.

I was furious at him, inciting every curse word under the sun.

I couldn’t let go of how he almost crashed into me, which made me lose focus on what I was doing ( parking).

Due to my loss of focus, I accidentally reversed into a stationary car while parking.

Then it hit me, “Why was I so preoccupied with how the driver wronged me, and why was I still angry?”.

Suddenly, I couldn’t stop thinking about what the Bible says about turning the other cheek.

If I had turned the other cheek and forgiven the driver, I would have been able to focus on parking my car without crashing.

Because I was angry and sought revenge, I became the same monster I was raging at.

Luckily, I didn’t cause any damage to the car I bumped.

The lesson: don’t let revenge take hold of you, otherwise you become the monster yourself.

When someone does evil to us, we shouldn’t respond with evil.

Forgiveness is the only antidote for revenge.

Jesus Is The Perfect Example Of How To Live A Revenge-free Life

Jesus sought the good of humanity; through his words and actions, he demonstrated this.

Jesus knew people would kill him for what he believed, but he didn’t let that stop him from spreading God’s word and doing good.

Jesus taught us to forgive and to love others as we love ourselves, and he lived out those teachings until his last breath on the cross.

Some of Jesus’ final words were: “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.”

Jesus had every reason to hate and seek revenge against his Roman persecutors.

But he didn’t harbour hatred or seek revenge; instead, he forgave them. 

By doing so, he reached peace ( a taste of the eternal life to come).

Practising forgiveness is the surest path to heaven on earth.

We can’t gain tranquillity by holding onto grudges or seeking to harm others.

Forgiveness frees us from the heavy chains of revenge and hatred.

The bottom line 👉

I’ve felt my worst when I’ve been full of hatred and revenge. We free ourselves from hatred and revenge by practising forgiveness. I’ve tried forgiveness, and it cleanses the soul, freeing up energy to direct towards improving ourselves and helping others.

This article was inspired by the quote “The best revenge is not to be like that” by Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius

I share ideas that challenge how you think and help you grow — all for free.

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