We've been trying to explain revenge over here. Here's an illustration I came up with. To set the stage, give each child $10 and ten chocolate kisses.
When someone intentionally hurts another or is selfish, it's like they take another's chocolate kiss. Let's say Jack pushes Jill so he can be first in line. But Jack's selfishness comes at a cost. He may have gained the front of the line (Jill's chocolate kiss), but by doing this Jack loses some of his godliness. (At this point I'd take a dollar from Jack.) By shoving and taking for himself, he has become less like God and thus less rich in Heavenly things.
If someone decides to get revenge the same is true. They may get revenge by pushing back or calling names, which in our illustration is stealing someone's chocolate chip, but they also lose a dollar.
The point is we lose more than we gain when we act selfishly or get revenge.
The godliness we lose when we are selfish or get revenge is worth far more than the chocolate kiss. That godliness (i.e. money) may not seem valuable now but that is because we are like children in this world just learning the value of money. Chocolate kisses to a very small child seem tantalizing and delicious, but when a child is grown, he or she knows that dollars are more valuable.
And here the analogy can go farther.
The fact of the matter is we lost all our money ages ago. We're already broke and in debt because we continue in our unkindnesses. But the good news is Jesus has already paid our debt and made it possible for us to have access to the Bank, aka God's holiness. Our riches are infinite! In fact, whenever we ask, God is willing to give us his dollars in order to do right and walk humbly.
But we can have none of his wealth unless we first confess how broke we are and then trust in God's money instead of our own.
More Lessons: Hearing the Holy Spirit, Lesson on Gossip, Gospel for Middle Schoolers, Who is the Holy Spirit
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