When we get hurt or jilted or have been the victim of something, the first reaction is to seek revenge. We get so blinded by our anger that we forget that the Lord had said that vengeance was His. We forget that forgiveness brings better peace than does revenge. Why poison someone when you can do the same thing with sweetness? I will narrate a small story to illustrate my point.
A farmer had a neighbour who was a hunter and who owned ferocious but poorly trained hunting dogs. They frequently jumped the fence and chased the farmer’s lambs. The farmer asked his neighbour to keep his dogs in check, but it fell on deaf ears.
One day the dogs jumped the fence and attacked the lambs severely injuring several of them in the process. The farmer had had enough, and went to the town to complain. The wise judge listened patiently to his woes and then said, “I can punish the hunter and instruct him to keep his dogs chained or lock them up. But you would lose a friend and gain an enemy. Which would you rather have, friend or foe for a neighbour?” The farmer replied that he preferred a friend.
“Alright, I will offer you a solution that will keep your lambs safe and will also help in keeping your neighbour a friend.” He heard the judge’s solution and agreed to give it a try.
Next day he took two of his best lambs and presented them to his neighbour’s two small sons. Naturally, they were thrilled with joy and began to play with them. To protect his sons’ newly acquired playthings, the hunter built a strong kennel for his dogs. Since then, the dogs never again bothered the farmer’s lambs. Out of gratitude for the farmer’s generosity toward his sons, the hunter often shared with the farmer the game he had hunted. The farmer too reciprocated by sending the hunter cheese whenever he used to make it. This way, within a short time, the neighbours became good friends.
It is said that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. It pays to forgive, forget and move on. So keep your temper in control, overcome your desire for vengeance and free yourself from a self created prison.
~Latika Teotia
