I Finally Got My Revenge!

It took me six months. The anger and betrayal was finally satisfied on that humid day in June...or was it? It was the day I finally got my revenge. It happened over thirty years ago.

Six months earlier, I accepted a job in Florida. My new bride of eight months and I moved to the beautiful panhandle of the Sunshine State. It was a modest increase in pay from where I was before.

We lived three blocks from the beach and paid one hundred dollars a month to rent a one bedroom house. I was hired to do the afternoon show on a local radio station. Everything seemed wonderful.

But then, scarcely two weeks after we arrived, he pulled his stunt. The man who hired me, the man who was my boss, the program director of the radio station, propositioned my wife! I'm not talking about flirting, or making a pass, or innuendoes. This man offered her a very discreet intimate relationship! He hardly knew her! This was my wife! Did I mention that he was also married, and the recent father of twins?

When my wife Kathy told me what had happened, I was so furious that I wanted to go and shoot him on the spot! I'm not kidding! Thank God I decided against that plan.

I did however get some good advice from my landlord. Mac was a kind middle-aged man who seemed generally concerned about helping this 21 year old who was really upset. And, this was interesting situation.

He was my boss. He had hired me. He could fire me. Maybe I should just quit.

Mac suggested that I confront him on the telephone, which I did. I told him that Kathy had told me everything. I also told him in no uncertain terms that I did not want him to even speak to my wife ever again.

So, now, I had to see him every day at work. He would usually leave around 1 p.m. but I would get there around 11 a.m. He apologized to me every single day. I never accepted it. I kept saying, "Just forget it, okay?" However, I was certainly not forgetting about it.

As the days and weeks went by, my anger continued to grow. Then, conflicts began to arise between the two of us over work related matters. The tension grew until one day I was called in early to the general manger's office.

The general manger then informed me that he was making some changes and that I was now going to be the program director. "That's great," I said, "And, what about Mr. So and So?" He said, "Well, that's up to you; you're in charge now."

I thought to myself, "At last, at last, I will get my revenge!" I looked at the general manager and said, "He's gone!" I got up and walked out of his office, met the man I had grown to hate, and said, "Get your stuff and get out - you're fired!"

I felt so proud of myself! He finally got what he deserved! I even bragged about the whole event for a number of years. But, I was never truly free of the anger until I forgave him. And yes, there came a day when I really did forgive him.

I remember a Bible teacher saying, "You'll have no problem forgiving others if you just remember what God forgave you for." Wow! Isn't that true? I know I've certainly made my share of mistakes.

So, finally one day, I honestly forgave the man from my heart for what he had done. I wasn't excusing his actions, or saying that what he did wasn't wrong; I was simply forgiving him.

And then, I noticed a remarkable thing. All that anger against him that I had been carrying around for all those years was gone. Prior to that, at those times when I brought up the event in my life, the same anger was there, just as fierce as ever.

But now, even as I write this article, I have no anger. I have no emotions tied to it at all. You see, revenge didn't quell my anger, forgiveness did. And I never realized that by keeping all that anger inside me, I was allowing him to continue to affect my life! I was allowing him to have power over me. I was not in control!

Very few people understand how freeing it is to forgive. To simply and completely let go and dismiss what someone has done to you without wanting or desiring any penalty for what they have done will release you.

We have all been forgiven, many times over. So, why not forgive others?