In the 1998 FIFA world cup, David Beckham was shown the red card and sent off the field in a match between Argentina and England. Four years later, in another world cup match between the same two countries, England was awarded a penalty kick. Beckham stepped up and scored a crucial goal. And the next day, newspapers across the world came out with headlines like “Payback Time”, “Revenge Taken”, “Score Settled after Four Years”, “The Celestial Scrip-writer Sets the Record Straight”, “Justice Done After Four Years” etc.
This is the general mentality of man. The idea and concept of revenge is an inherent part and parcel of the human psyche. Many wars have been fought with the intent and purpose of revenge in mind. And the idea of revenge has been the root cause and driving force behind many of men’s actions since time immemorial. In the olden times, it was a belief amongst many societies and communities that revenge is a necessity and not being able to take revenge for a wrong committed by others was considered a shame. Yes, in a time when the world still believed that ‘might is right’, it is understandable that violence and wars were committed in the name of taking revenge. And to observe this phenomenon, we don’t need to go far because even our forefathers believed and lived by this principle. For example, the Angamis used to say to their children “u khepulie moro mia dzü menga ho” which means “it would be a shame if we are unable to take revenge”.
But now that we are living in an enlightened society and time and have been introduced to many ideas and thoughts both from across the seas and from the wide open plains around us, what should be our attitude towards this very undeniable aspect present in the psyche of mankind. When a wrong is committed on us by others, the desire to take revenge spontaneously comes up in our mind and we feel the urge that we should payback the so assumed wrongdoer with the same coin or even double-triple the amount of hurt that was caused to us. This is a very natural phenomenon present in every human being just like the hunger for food or sex inherently present in every human being.
However, it would be dangerously destructive and suicidal to live our lives simply driven by the force of the idea of revenge. We cannot take revenge for every wrong that has been done to us. And even if we are able to take revenge for every injustice that happened to us, it would cost us dearly because so much precious time and energy would have to be sacrificed and wasted in the pursuit of such an elusive justice. And in doing so, a person would not be able to divert his time and energy to the things that really matter or live up to the purpose for which he was put on planet earth in the first place. So, doing things or taking actions with the intention and urge of revenge would be mere stupidity because we were not born for this purpose. For this purpose, someone is sitting up above us who knows everything and has every record of our lives. So the best would be allowing this entity to be the revenge–taker and the deliverer of justice.
Human relation is a very vital and crucial aspect of our lives which plays a big role in determining whether we live a happy and fulfilling life or not. Many times, the hurts, the wrongs and the injustices are committed on us not by strangers but by our nearest and dearest ones whom we consider the closest and most important. In such cases also, the desire and the urge for revenge come up. But the point to remember is that even if we are able to take revenge also, in the process so much damage would have been done and our relation would never be the same again. So the desire and urge for revenge may be at the root cause of many strained and broken relations that we see around us.
In the holy scriptures, God says, “vengeance is mine” which means that we don’t need to spend precious time and energy thinking about revenge because God knows everything and God is a God of justice and he would never let a wrong or injustice go by unrecorded or unpunished. The universal saying “as you sow so shall you reap” is also directly linked to the idea and concept of revenge. But this saying does not mean that we should be the one trying to rectify a wrong or an injustice. The truth is that living our lives trying to take revenge would be a very frustrating and tiring life because God has not given us such power, strength or time. Unless we are careful, the idea of revenge can blind us to such an extent that we miss out on the real meaning and purpose of life itself.
Another advice from the Holy Scriptures also says “don’t let the sun go down on your anger”. Yes, anger is part of the idea of revenge. We feel the desire and urge to take revenge because we are angry. And it is said that anger is nothing but short madness. And so when we are angry or mad, the words that come out of our mouths and the things we do can never be right or noble. So this scriptural advice would mean that the moment the sun goes down in the evening, we are to forget and let go of everything that has the potential to make us mad because God is closing that chapter. And when we wake up the next morning, we will be waking up to a new heaven, a new earth and a new universe. And so why should we bring any negativity or madness from yesterday’s world into today’s new world? I guess this is the meaning of this Biblical advice. The moment the sun goes down we should let go of everything that is dragging us down or making us mad because tomorrow we would be waking up to a new world and universe where madness like the idea and urge for revenge should have no place.
But the sun going down in the evening does not mean God has erased everything that had happened. So if there are things that need to be resurrected or taken care of even in tomorrow’s new world and universe, God will take care of those things and not us. This should be our attitude when we move from yesterday’s world into today’s new world. This is the most freeing way to live as we don’t have to drag any negativity from yesterday’s world.
Even if you forget all about taking revenge and stop wasting your time and energy trying to payback someone, the irony of life is that the tide always comes back and life does come back full circle. And in such a scenario when you finally have the upper-hand and the overwhelming opportunity to avenge someone who has done you wrong in the past, what you do with that opportunity at your discretion will determine whether you are great or just average.
King Saul made David’s life miserable by chasing him through the wilderness for many years. But one day David found Saul sleeping in a cave and got the chance to take his revenge and end all the miseries. But David did not let his emotions and spirit of revenge overtook him. Rather David spared the king’s life and allowed destiny to take its own course because he knew that King Saul was also anointed by God and he did not wish to touch God’s anointing.
In the same way, Joseph also did not take revenge on his brothers even when he had the overwhelming upper-hand to do whatever he wanted with his brothers who had sold him into slavery and made him to suffer untold misery in a foreign land. And this is why personalities like David and Joseph deserve to be our role models when it comes to the idea and practice of revenge.
Even when you have every right to take revenge and gets the overwhelming opportunity and upper-hand to do so since the table has completely turned in your favor, when you still choose to let it go and choose to forget all about the wrongs that were meted out to you, your behaviors and actions can melt even the hardest of hearts as they would be left speechless and dumbfounded……I guess this is the only right way to behave and react as far as the idea and practice of revenge is concerned because it makes us reflect the glory and magnificence of our Creator Himself.
