This sermon explores the often misunderstood passage 'an eye for an eye' from Exodus 21, explaining that it was not meant to encourage revenge but to limit and restrain violence. The pastor uses his own genealogy, including ancestors involved in the Hatfield-McCoy feud, to illustrate how unchecked retaliation can spiral into generational cycles of violence. The law was given to judges to ensure proportional justice and protect the vulnerable, establishing that every person has dignity and deserves fair treatment. Jesus later built upon this foundation in Matthew 5, calling his followers beyond measured retaliation to radical grace and forgiveness. The cross becomes the ultimate example of breaking the cycle of violence through mercy rather than revenge.