‘When you are actively plotting ways to seek revenge and hurt the person who hurt you, as is the case in this Black Mirror episode, it’s clearly an indication that you have not forgiven that person,’ says Maxine Harrison.
Season seven of Netflix’s wildly popular Black Mirror was released on 10th April almost two years after its previous season was released in 2023. For those who are unaware, the series is a dystopian anthology series that touches on how technology can negatively impact how we operate in the world.
Episode three of this new series is titled Bête Noire and highlights the extreme face of vengeance. For background, the episode follows a girl who was severely bullied in school via rumours, she takes revenge as an older working woman on her former bully classmate, who is now her colleague.
READ MORE: You can have an ungodly soul tie with the person you refuse to forgive
The length the girl goes to avenge her former classmate and now colleague truly speaks to how much she was hurt by the bullying. She goes as far as getting her fired from her job.
This made me think, when you have legitimately been sinned against, and it has impacted your experience, what do you do with those feelings? And how do you navigate moving forward with it? As always, the Bible should be the lens through which we seek to gain clarity on these questions.
We know that the Bible speaks about forgiveness.
We know that the Bible speaks about forgiveness. Scriptures such as Matthew 5:39 refer to turning the other cheek, and Matthew 18:22, when Jesus tells a man to forgive the man seventy times seven, which is an analogy for an infinite number of times you forgive. When you are actively plotting ways to seek revenge and hurt the person who hurt you, as is the case in this Black Mirror episode, it’s clearly an indication that you have not forgiven that person.
READ MORE: The Martha Stewart documentary on Netflix reminded me that in Christ, I don’t need to be perfect
The situation in the Black Mirror episode positions the girl who was bullied having to interact in a close working relationship, with her bully. Situations like this are slightly more tricky compared to when you don’t have to liaise closely with the person who wronged you. Yet they should both be handled with grace and wisdom. It doesn’t mean you have to share all your time with them, but categorise where they should go and what things you will share with them. Boundaries are biblical, and therefore submit to God what boundaries look like with someone you are tempted to avenge, and he will guide you with steps.
In the Bible, repentance refers to a change of behaviour and not just lip service when someone says they are sorry.
In the Bible, repentance refers to a change of behaviour and not just lip service when someone says they are sorry. Seeking vengeance admits a foothold for the enemy to run rampant and can dig a deeper hole into sin.
READ MORE: ‘God told me I had to forgive my mother’
This also touches on another theory going viral at the moment called “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robinson. The essence of this is that when you let people do whatever they want to do and realise that there is not much you can do to change when people are committed to misunderstanding you. Although Mel is not a Christian, her theory aligns with biblical views. There are times when Jesus says to his disciples, ‘Don’t cast your pearls to the swine’ (Matthew 7:6-7). This is a useful scripture to consider when people spread rumours about you. There’s wisdom in knowing when to stop trying to prove people wrong or seeking revenge for something someone did wrong to you.
This doesn’t mean that we are to become pushovers - as this is not what Jesus was, and there were times when he confronted pharisees, but rather it’s about operating in wisdom regarding when to do this. The serenity prayer, I believe, is a useful go-to in situations like this: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
The Bible says, “vengeance is the Lord’s, I will repay” (Romans 12:19). Let’s take note of that instead of being inflenced by the vendetta in Bête Noir
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