A man took it personally when the IRS refused to refund his fourteen dollars. He decided to get even. He began to make and plant bombs near IRS offices in several local counties. At first his inexperience kept the damages to a minimum. The bombs either malfunctioned or were too weak to cause harm. But it soon became obvious that the bomber had increased in his expertise and rage, for he planted devices to kill people, not just to damage buildings.
On February 22,1990, when the bomb disposal team got a call about a suspicious pickup parked in downtown Los Angeles, they found that the bomber had planted four hundred pounds of explosives in each of five, fifty-five gallon drums. The detonation would have blown a crater seventy-five feet wide and twenty-five feet deep, and broken windows in the fifth floor offices.
Revenge grows like a rumor from a small desire ... to a large need ... to a bloated obsession. The Law of Moses limited revenge, and Jesus Christ abolished it. Restricted revenge served a useful purpose under the Law, but revenge of any kind is unacceptable where grace reigns. Indeed, beyond not seeking revenge, Christians are to pray for their offenders and do them so much good that it will be like coals of fire melting their opposition. God will avenge us if that becomes necessary. What is necessary for us is to be gracious to the offender.

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