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A Case of Revenge

Album: 30: Through Thick & Thin

Episode: 398

Lesson/Theme: Revenge

Bible Verse: Romans 12:19-21

Characters: Jared, Mandy, Whit, Rodney

Writer: Phil Lollar

Sound Designer:

Original Air Date: April 5, 1998

Last Air Date: July 31, 2009

Description:
At the school science fair, Cody Carper, Mandy Straussberg, Jared DeWhite, and Dwayne Oswald are checking out each other's projects. While Jared is demonstrating his model plane, Rodney Rathbone steals and destroys it, causing destruction to the science fair in the process. Rodney is suspended by the principal, but Jared vows to get revenge. Whit reminds Jared that Jesus calls us to love our enemies, but when Mandy's cat, Simpson, disappears, Jared is quick to assume that Rodney had something to do with it. While Whit and Jared go to the park to search for Simpson, Whit advises Jared to assume that Rodney is innocent until they have proof that he is guilty. Whit and Rodney meet Dwayne and Cody, whose bikes have been stolen, and once again Jared accuses Rodney. As they leave the park, Jared finds a pocketknife with Rodney's initials carved into it, which he takes as proof of Rodney's guilt. On the way back to Whit's End, they discover the elementary school is on fire. Officer McCoy tells Whit that someone started the fire with a gas can, but they have no suspects. Jared blames Rodney, citing his behavior at the science fair and saying he is a pyromaniac. Whit and Jared accompany Officer McCoy to the Rathbone's house and when it appears to Jared that Rodney is trying to escape, he accuses him of all the things that have happened that day. They find rags soaked in gasoline in Rodney's garage, so McCoy takes Rodney to the police station for questioning. When Jared brags to Mandy about what happened to Rodney, she tells him that Simpson hadn't been stolen at all. Then Jared runs into Dwayne and Cody with their bikes, which had been taken by their parents to teach them a lesson about locking them up. They think that Rodney's pocketknife probably dropped out of his pocket at the park because he hangs around there a lot. As the evidence of Rodney's innocence builds, Jared goes to see Whit, who says that the fire department now believes that the fire was started by electrical wiring, and the gas can had been left by a janitor, proving that Rodney is innocent of the charges. Jared admits he accused Rodney because he was angry at him for ruining his plane. Whit remarks that revenge can blind us to the truth, which is why we should leave the vengeance to God. On the way to the juvenile detention center, where Rodney is being held, Whit and Jared come across Officer McCoy's police car, which has run off into a ditch. McCoy is injured and Rodney, who is supposed to be in the back seat, is missing. Whit and Jared go looking for him and discover he has fallen into a dry well and broken his arm. Whit goes for help, leaving Jared behind to apologize to Rodney. Whit lowers Jared into the well with a rope and Rodney apologizes for ruining the plane while Whit pulls both boys out with his car. Later, at Whit's End, just as Jared is proclaiming he has learned his lesson about getting revenge and accusing people without the facts, he realizes his hat is missing and immediately assumes it's been stolen. Whit points out that the cap is on the floor, which ends Jared's accusations.

Questions:
Jared accused Rodney of several things before he really knew the facts. It turns out that Jared was totally wrong. Do you know a commandment about this? Why doesn't God want us taking revenge? What does the Bible say to do when we're angry toward someone? (Hint: it has something to do with a sunset.) Did Jared follow this verse? How did his disobedience cause problems?