Turn The Other Cheek!!!
It's not actually what you think!!!
Most of us want peace. We want peace in our homes, we want peace in our communities, we want peace in our nation, We want peace in our region and we want peace in our world. Peace brings with it a calm that enables rest, that allows a person to come down off the high of having to be wary and focussed all the time. Peace also brings with it an atmosphere of joy and happiness that many of us are longing for.
Peace is something that we should always be striving for…however, peace or being peaceful doesn’t always denote being inactive, or even passive in nature. Sometime to create peace and maintain peace one must act. It is into this space that many Christians (preachers, pastors and those sitting in the pews alike) struggle with.
How exactly do we do this…???
In his sermon on the mount Jesus made many profound statements that were counter to the culture of the day (and even of today’s modern enlightened world). One particular passage has been used many times to create this false ‘meekness’ and ‘timidity’ within Christians. This is Matthew 5:38-39 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”
Far too many times this scripture has been used for Christians to just lie down and take abuse.
Yes, if someone comes up to us (especially if they are acting against us as Christians) we shouldn’t fight back and fight evil with evil. But that is not entirely what Jesus is talking about here. The context of the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ was that he was talking to HIS disciples first and foremost, then to the ordinary people that had surrounded them. Jesus was using it as a teaching time. Effectively he was warning them that they were going to face physical opposition from evil people in the days and years to come.
Jesus was also setting up the people to understand that at times it is necessary to engage with the government systems of the day in order to seek restitution and justice for the acts committed against you.
Consider this scenario - you are going to the supermarket and someone insults you and pushes you around, perhaps even striking you. If you turn around and begin to fight them also, and the police arrive - then the two of you can get arrested for public disturbance, disrupting the peace, fighting, causing bodily harm (and other charges). However, if you just walk away, or if you are significantly injured - then you can turn around and ask the police to arrest and charge the person for the violence they committed against you.
In talking to the Jewish church in Rome, the Apostle Paul said in Romans 13:3-4 the following “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.”
It is for the government and their laws to protect us from people doing evil. If we respond to evil by doing evil then we place ourselves on the wrong side of the law, and it offers us no protection.
Rather, the government (our governments) should act against evil, and sometimes that means acting violently against the evil doers (not us acting against them).
We have seen this in recent history where nations went to war against the Nazi and Imperialist Japanese regimes, against tyrants and against nations harbouring terrorist organisations. Nations are meant to do this, it’s their job to do so - for the peace and security of their citizens - it is not our job unless our own nation is invaded (then personally I think it is everybody's role to repel the invaders).
So, why did Jesus tell us not to react against those who are violent towards us? It is because he doesn’t want us seeking revenge. Revenge changes the heart, mind and soul of a person. It twists them up inside and compels them to act in ways that are counter to their beliefs and values. As such, vengeance then falls in the realm of justice and becomes an act of God. The Bible has many scriptures that deal with this concept including those below:
Deuteronomy 32:35 “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.”
Romans 12:19 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”
So, when Jesus told his disciples and those within hearing to ‘turn the other cheek’, he wasn’t talking about being a meek, weak, pacifist - rather he was saying that God will repay those who do evil, and that justice will be divine, it will be pure, and it will be perfect - and not an outward expression of our own pain and suffering.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 wisely tells us the following… “a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”There is a place for violence and action to be taken against those who do evil…but it is not for the normal populace to do so - it is the realm of governments to do so.