Stop Fighting Fire With Fire
Start writing a post
Featured

Stop Fighting Fire With Fire

No matter how badly you were burned by someone else's flames.

3347
Stop Fighting Fire With Fire
stocksnap.io

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your father in heaven." - Matthew 5:43-45

I've always considered myself somewhat a vengeful person. I am not proud of that. Wanting revenge is not a good thing. And it certainly is not a Christian way to live. But I am self-aware, and I have realized that I struggle with this. If someone hurts me, I want to hurt them back. I know, I know, this sounds so bad. But I know I am not the only one that struggles with this mindset. It's a self defense mechanism. It hurts to get hurt. It hurts to have someone say or do something that digs deep. It really hurts. Ghandi said, "And eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." If we keep fighting fire with fire, we are all going to end up in flames.

We also unfortunately live in a culture that sometimes supports the idea of getting even and getting revenge. Songs like Taylor Swift's "Better Than Revenge" may be catchy but they are giving us distorted views. It can be easy to get caught up in a "give someone a taste of their own medicine" mindset, but again, is that really the way we want to live?

"When you are angry, be silent."

I have realized that fighting fire with fire is an exhausting and pointless game. People are going to hurt you, whether intentional or not, someone is going to do something that rubs your the wrong way. It's so easy and dare I say a natural instinct to want to get revenge upon being hurt. We want to protect ourselves. But is being vengeful really the way to do that? Do you really, and I mean really believe that you will feel better about a situation once you hurt someone else?

I encourage you, put down your flame, put down your weapon, whether it be your harsh words or plan for revenge, I encourage you, put it down. No more fire with fire. No more hate.

Sit in silence for a few moments. Breathe in. Breathe out. You are more. You do not need to fight fire with fire. No matter how badly you were burned by flames from someone else.

"The most merciful person is the one who forgives when he is able to take revenge."
Report this Content
Politics

Ancient Roman Kings: 7 Leaders of Early Rome

The names and dates of the reigns of the first four kings, as well as the alternation of Sabin and Latin names, are more legendary than historical. The last three kings, of Etruscan origin, have an existence which seems less uncertain.

1535
inside ancient roman building
Photo by Chad Greiter on Unsplash

It is evident that all this is only a legend although archeology shows us little by little that these kings if they did not exist as the ancient history, describes them, have at least in the very Outlines were real as chief of a shepherd’s tribe. The period when kings ruled Rome could estimate at 245 years.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Love Lost

Being the girl that is falling for the boy is never easy.

2054
Love Lost
Pexels

You constantly text my phone telling me that you want to see me and hang out, even though we may not have sex we cuddle and that’s intimacy in its own. I’m tired of buying you food and being there for you like a girlfriend when you consistently tell me you aren't ready for a girlfriend. I am constantly feeling I’m getting slapped in the face because I’m doing all these things and getting nothing in return. Every day I feel myself liking you more which is just crazy because why would I even waste my time liking someone there isn’t a future with. I just want you to be honest with me and with yourself, tell me how you feel from your heart, stop just saying you aren’t ready. You are wasting time telling me you aren’t ready because while you are “getting ready” some guy somewhere else is telling me that he likes me and thinks I’m beautiful and wants to date me. I’m not asking for much, but I at least want exclusivity because you ask me for all these things but in return you give me nothing.

Keep Reading...Show less
Pretty Little Liars

From reading the books in eighth grade to watching the television show all throughout high school, "Pretty Little Liars"basically defined my teenage existence. I was completely and totally obsessed on all accounts. However, even though I loved the fact that the books and the show are starkly different, there are simply just some ways in which the books are much better. Let's take a look:

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

To The Girl In The Back Row

I just want you to know you are loved. You are loved so very much.

2311
To The Girl In The Back Row
Sojo.net

Recently I was blessed to be a counselor at a wonderful camp, secluded in a cornfield somewhere in Virginia. I consider myself to be a seasoned camp counselor, as I have not only been a camper for most of my life but have been privileged enough to work multiple camps with all kinds of different facilities. I have worked camps with multi-thousand dollar facilities, with zip lines, rock walls, ropes courses, and boats. I have worked at camps with amazing water sports, camps with paintball, camps with canoes and paddle boats and floating blobs or trampolines in the middle of the water. I have worked at camps with in ground pools and camps without any pools, and even some camps with go-karts. I've had problem kids, kids who refuse to listen to anything I say, kids who sneak out after lights out to meet a significant other, and kids who are every camp counselors dream.

Keep Reading...Show less
Politics

Why The United Nations Is Key For The World

"As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th"- Donald J. Trump

2705
Why The United Nations Is Key For The World
Flickr/ses7

The United Nations (UN) has been in existence since June of 1945. Since then, the world has come together to work on and solve some of the harshest problems that face the Human Race. Be it children in societal ills like Human Trafficking, natural issues like Deforestation, or issues of extreme poverty, the UN has worked together in an attempt to make it a better place for us all. It's the only organization in the history of the world to bring people together in a willing, peaceful way; a feat that not even the League of Nations could do in the Post- WWI era. Why was it that one organization failed, and the other one is still going strong, 72 years later?

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments