If you ever entertain the thought of paying someone back for a wrong done you - get rid of the idea at once. Nothing boomerangs like vengeance.

In the movie "The Karate Kid" the wise Mr. Miyagi told the young Daniel, "You look to get revenge, you start by digging your own grave."

The Bible gives a similar warning, "The man who sets a trap for others will get caught in it himself." (Proverbs 26:27 L.B.).

A lawyer friend told me about his first case. A man living in a rural area discovered his house on fire. He drove quickly to the fire station, reported the fire and expected to ride on the truck. The chief refused to let him ride and knocked the man from the truck when he wouldn't get down. The man jumped in his car, raced ahead to his house, blocked the drive preventing the truck from getting to his house. In rage he pulled the chief from the truck and beat him up. While his thirst for revenge was being satisfied, his house burned to the ground.

While a seminary student, I served as pastor of a small church in rural western South Carolina. It was inevitable that I hear this true story that occurred there years before. A farmer became angry when someone kept stealing corn from his barn. He decided to take revenge. Inside the barn he rigged a shotgun. It was wired and aimed so anyone opening the door would be struck by its blast. Nothing happened. Eventually he expected the thief would return so he continued to set the trap every night.

One morning before daylight the farmer went to the barn to do his chores. His mind was distracted by other thoughts and he forgot to release the trap. When he opened the door there was a blast. The farmer was killed instantly. His choice to get revenge cost him his own life.

As a young man this tragic story made quite an impression on me.

It still does.

Every attempt to get revenge I know of, including my own, has been costly. The details may differ, the outcome is always the same.

There is a reason for this. Revenge is a responsibility of God, not man. When we seek to wrong someone who has wronged us, we have put ourself in the place of God and taken up a task that He reserves for Himself. Anytime we take over God's job for Him, we are destined not only to fail, but pay a big cost.

People need people; people also hurt people. Being wronged by others goes with the territory - life. It is not our choice, but how we respond is.

There is only one right way to respond to someone who has hurt and wronged us - return good, not evil. The Bible says, "Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for He has said He will repay those who deserve it. Instead, feed your enemy if he is hungry. If he is thirsty give him something to drink Don't let evil get the upper hand, but conquer evil by doing good" (Romans 12: 19-21 L.B.).

The desire within each of us to strike back at those who wrong us seems overwhelming. Without God's help it is. Resist taking revenge if you can. If you can't, use a soft club - it will be much easier on your head.

(Dr. French O'Shields is a Gaffney native and a retired Presbyterian minister.)