Luke 6:29-30 (New International Version - UK)
29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.
30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
What a difficult teaching to follow this is. To help us to be obedient to this command, we should try to understand why Christ tells us to act like this.
This sort of “unnatural” behaviour benefits both the victim and the offender. The victim is benefited by the change in attitude that will result from obeying the command. Instead of grieving over what they have lost, they will learn to trust more in God for their provision. They will be reminded that doing the work of God is more important than their material possessions. Through acts of obedience to God's Word, our attitude will grow to become closer to Christ's—it is not so much the case that we must get our attitude right before we can obey.
The assailant, thief or extortionist also benefits from this sort of counter-culture behaviour. Because such behaviour is such a contrast to human nature, they will likely consider why the victim acted that way. We bear witness to the character of Christ by acting like this. This may be a stepping stone for the offender to come to God.
The question is: how should we live out this command in our lives? If someone gets hold of our house key and uses it to burgle us, should we refrain from changing our locks, as that would be akin to “stop[ping] him from taking your tunic?” I think in each situation in which we have been wronged, we should prayerfully consider what action will be beneficial to us in developing our attitude and beneficial to the offender in bringing them to repentance and a (closer) relationship with God. Of course, in every case we need to forgive.
Luke 6:29-30 (The Message)
27-30"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
Romans 12:2,14,17,19-21 (New International Version - UK)
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is— his good, pleasing and perfect will.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Posts
Luke 6:29-30 speaks to me about not escalating violence. And not replying to fire with fire. Or an eye for an eye.
ReplyDeleteWe have the law (though corrupted) to protect us from robbery & injustice. That verse spoke to me as to leave the justice to be served by the court of law and not taking justice into our own hands. Which usually in the past I did ... I tend to fight back on things that can be judge by a higher authority.
But don't get me wrong I think, Jesus made each and every of us a warrior/fighter to occupy before He comes. But I think this verse doesn't imply that we should compromise and give in to our persecutors.
I don't think Luke 6:29-30 is so much about "giving in to persecutors" as going the extra mile to actively bless our persecutors at extra cost to ourselves, even if we have already lost or been hurt. Not doing so could be seen as "compromise."
ReplyDeleteSquelch enemy's spirit of anger.
ReplyDeleteAll we have are gifts from Father.
Father, I honored you by loving my enemy. I made sure my enemy have slap me to their satisfaction. My enemies anger is squelched. Father, my enemy was blessed with your tunic and shirt. Father, my enemy was bless by you.
I wonder what people who are frequently physically abused (beaten wives, for example) would have to say about this.
ReplyDeleteJulio Diaz ... stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, [and] his evening took an unexpected turn.
ReplyDeleteHe was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.
"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."
The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.
"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.
Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.
Read more ...
@Walkingthewalk: We do need to be sensible in this matter; I can't accept that Christ was asking us to be punching bags. In Matt and Madeleine Flannagan's post on An Eye for an Eye and Turning the Other Cheek, the author considers that “turning the other cheek ... means refusing to demand compensation for mere insults that do not do any serious damage.”
ReplyDeleteThe comments on this post on feminism, also in Matt and Madeleine's blog, address the issue of domestic violence, and Christian responses to it. It can be very harmful to have an overly naïve interpretation of the “turn the other cheek” teaching.
I've recently watched a movie biography of Mahatma Gandhi. I think he understood Luke 6:29.
ReplyDelete