The idea of revenge can consume a man and devour him whole. Life becomes about settling a score and the flame of that unquenchable anger must constantly be stoked. There is an ancient Buddhist quote that states, "holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." I have always loved this simple quote because when you contemplate the silliness of such an expectation, you soon realize its unfortunate truth. Also, the quote is quite apropos to the movie I will use as an example.
How often has anger become the fiend that divides friendships, turning hurt into a lasting grudge that ultimately dissolves the relationship? Many times anger is born of a misunderstanding which robs a friend of explanation or defense. If these issues are eventually discussed by the two, one may be surprised to learn of the other's unhappiness and the other may be shocked to learn that his friend was unaware. Ultimately in the case of miscommunication, poor judgment, or an unjust conclusion, the one who has been holding onto the false anger in hopes that it would somehow bring despair to his friend must face the realization of his own foolishness and the shadow cast upon his soul.
The Princess Bride was an epic movie that I held dear growing up. Over the course of one summer my brother and I challenged ourselves to watch it every week day for the entire summer. From reenacted fencing scenes in our pajamas to a heightened awareness of six-fingered men, that movie bonded my brother and I not only with each other but with most of America's youth at the time. The most famous line of the movie was recited by the character Inigo Montoya who said, "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Inigo was concerned with one thing throughout the movie and that was revenge.
Years later Mandy Patinkin, the actor who played Inigo Montoya gives a brilliant insight (above video) into his character. Patinkin said that upon watching the movie twenty something years later there was a potent line in the movie that he had not remembered saying. When asked by the man in black if he would take over as the Dread Pirate Roberts Inigo responds, "I have been in the revenge business so long, now that it's over I do not know what to do with the rest of my life." Patinkin found that line to be revelatory for him now because as he states "the purpose of revenge is completely worthless and pointless, and the purpose of existence is to embrace our fellow human being, not be revengeful, and turn our darkness into light."
Anger can truly become a poison that we drink because it changes us from the inside out, consuming us with the evil desires to bring suffering upon another. Man has not however been equipped with a useless passion, as there are times when anger is necessary and just. The presence of evil should bring forth just anger, which Thomas Aquinas explains must be ordered, legitimately directed, and carried out with an appropriate degree of vehemence. Thus the Lord was justified in his anger in John 2:13-17 at the presence of the money changers in the Temple. Justice is fueled by the passion of anger in responding to evil. It should not become such a presence in our life as to leave us empty and aimless without it.
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