Any act of vengeance is evil, regardless of the justifications used for seeking it. If you suffered wounds from another person’s aggression or betrayal, it might be impossible to agree that seeking revenge is evil. The biblical admonition to "turn the other cheek" is in opposition to retaliation.
Turning the other cheek is an unnatural response. The natural reaction is to defend oneself or strike back. In truth, we would like to inflict more pain than was received, and it’s at this juncture where evil makes its appearance. When revenge becomes an all-consuming drive, nothing else matters.
What did Jesus mean in Matthew 5:39 when he taught that if someone hurts you or sins against you, try first to understand the situation? What motivated this person’s anger? Did you by your own actions or attitude invite this criticism? Turning the other cheek includes responding with kindness and mercy and forgiveness as God has forgiven you.
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Let there be no more bitter resentment or anger, no more shouting or slander, and let there be no bad feeling of any kind among you. Be kind to each other, be compassionate. Be as ready to forgive others as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.
~Ephesians 4:31-32 Phillips – The New Testament in Modern English
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