subject: An Eye for an Eye [print this page] An Eye for an Eye An Eye for an Eye
Popular Nigerian singer P-Square, in pidgin English, said in one of their songs: "if you do me I do you, man no go vex". In fact, this was the title of their song.
This mentality of an eye for an eye has been in existence in the African society, perhaps the world, for a very long time and I think that P-Square kind of stamped this mentality more powerfully on the mind of the youths. Thereby, making it seem natural.
But I beg to differ. This idea has to be uprooted.
An eye for an eye means that your reaction to an action is almost equal.
If I punched you in the face and you punched back and this happened to all of us, sooner or later, everyone will be blind.
So, we must learn to forgive and forbear things. It is not he who can forgive that is actually weak but he who cannot. For it is almost natural that when you punch me I punch you back.
But it takes strength to resist an urge to revenge and to do something different. It shows you really can control yourself.
This inability to control oneself leads to inability to change oneself and the world. A Bishop in Westminster Abbey lost this ability and this was said about him:
"At a tender age I had a dream of changing the world. I tried,tried and tried but the world would not change. Later I realised that if I had changed myself it would affect my family. Maybe, my State would have changed and later my country, my continent and the world, if I had changed myself."
Jesus said:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye But I tell you If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Matt 5:38-42 NIV
I was inspired to write this article after reading this beautiful quote of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:
The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind.
Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
So, dear friend, cease from having this mentality of an eye for an eye, "you do me I do you" attitude because that will hurt everyone.
