If someone does something bad to you, revenge with a good deed. In that way, you are two different people. If you decide to do what they did to you in order to hurt them too, then you are both on the same side. If I may use the word foolish, then you are both foolish. No one is better than the other. Often times people do this out of anger and immaturity and thirst for revenge. It actually makes you weak if you are to carefully think about it.
Rather, keep calm, act in a very unexpected way, let them know you are different from them. They will respect you and learn from you as well. Much as thy will not admit.
Sometimes, in our bid to avenge the wrongs done to us, we do it in a way that exposes our stupidity and makes mockery of us. At worst, such vengeance boomerangs on us, like a ball that hits the wall, bounces back and hit the thrower. No wonder George Elliot said, " In high vengeance, there is noble scorn." What an oxymoron! It is really scornful to do that which you felt offended when done to you. To show disparity between you and your offender, you don't have to do that which they do. Be different!
Now, look at another deadly but meditational quote by Confucius:
"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."
This is so true! The tone of the above quote is harsh and sarcastic, and its mood is suicidal. The two graves above shows that both the offender and the avenger share the same fate: DEATH. There is no difference between them. To escape this death, the one offended should forgive and move on with his life. Let him leave the battle for God to fight.
There is this popular story where a sane man was bathing. A mad man came by and took his clothes, which he hung on the bathroom door, and ran away. The sane man, with the whitish foam still on his body, ran out of the bathroom, still naked, and pursued the mad man, to the full glare of everybody. Now, can we say that it was only the mad man that was actually mad? I leave you to answer this yourself.
Napoleon Bonaparte said, "Vengeance has no foresight " Of course, it vengeance ( retaliation) gives you no time to consider the consequences of your rash actions. It is similar to stubbornness that heeds no advice.
Remember that vengeance ( retaliation) is suicidal. Don't pay foolishness with foolishness---- it makes you foolish, too. Don't pay evil with evil--- it makes you an evil man, too. Always leave vengeance to God, for He will always win.
I love that quote about digging two graves. I remember another one about revenge that is not so graceful. It compares revenge to peeing your pants. Feels great in the moment but quite nasty after the fact.
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