What causes people to want to get revenge?
Romans 3:9-12, 23Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” . . . For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
The main reason we get angry and want to get revenge is that we are sinners. Naturally, we do what is wrong. Revenge is the reflex of anger. If someone does us wrong, even accidentally, we feel like striking back.
Genesis 34:1-2, 5-7, 11-18, 24-31One day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit some of the young women who lived in the area. But when the local prince, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw Dinah, he seized her and raped her. . . . Jacob’s sons . . . were shocked and furious that their sister had been raped. . . . Simeon and Levi, who were Dinah’s full brothers, took their swords and entered the town without opposition. Then they slaughtered every male there, including Hamor and his son Shechem. . . . Afterward Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me! You’ve made me stink among all the people of this land . . .” “But why should we let him treat our sister like a prostitute?” they retorted angrily.
Often, we want revenge because of a desire for justice. Seeking justice is not wrong, but it is wrong to commit violent acts to accomplish it.
Psalm 37:8Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm.
Proverbs 19:11Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
Mark 6:18-19John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless.
Acts 16:18-23Paul . . . turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. . . . They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison.
A desire to get even can cause us to seek revenge. Settling the score never works however; it just continues the revenge cycle.
Ezekiel 25:15-17“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Philistia have acted against Judah out of bitter revenge and long-standing contempt. Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will raise my fist of judgment against the land of the Philistines. I will wipe out the Kerethites and utterly destroy the people who live by the sea. I will execute terrible vengeance against them to punish them for what they have done. And when I have inflicted my revenge, they will know that I am the Lord.”
Contempt for others can push us to seek revenge against them. Contempt depreciates the other person, making us feel justified in lashing out. Taking revenge is easier when we have lost respect for someone.
Genesis 16:5Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!”
1 Samuel 30:6David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.
We can lash out at someone when we blame that person for our problems. When we blame others for our problems, we can feel like attacking them for wronging us.
Job 5:2“Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple.”
Proverbs 27:3A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.
Bitterness eats away at anything good within us. When all that is left is the bitterness, we have no qualms about attacking others.
