“But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39).
The other day someone who is close to me wronged me very seriously. They did something that was truly terrible and that crossed every single line that should not be crossed. When I tried to speak with this person about this wrong, they simply decided to become more wrong and to increase the hurt and the wrong instead of trying to make things feel better.
Initially, when they had acted in anger and caused me some harm, I was so shocked by their actions that I retaliated in an instant by doing something hurtful myself. It is not something that I am proud of, and though I acted without thinking – in the shock and heat of the moment – my actions were also wrong.
Now, when I was discussing this incident with a third party later, that person told me plainly that my behaviour was unacceptable in that moment.
And it was a very difficult thing to hear. Because – of course – there were many reasons why I acted in the way that I did – I was shocked, I was hurt, I was injured, I was fed up, I was scared, I was worried… And yet, none of those reason were valid.
When Christ was on Earth, He said, “But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39).
And how easy that sounds on paper when there is no hurt or emotion – when there is no sting, so to speak, as a result of that slap. In fact, when we consider that statement without emotion at all, it is in fact a very logical thing to do. After all, how much better would the world be if everyone just agreed that they would act logically and rationally when things happened and instead of retaliating in anger they would calmly address the situation and make things better…?
But in the moment, and later when others comment on the moment to correct you, it is clear that I was wrong. And the fact that someone else was MORE wrong to me does not provide me with the opportunity to be a LITTLE wrong back to them.
And it was hard for me to hear those words. Hard but true.
You see, if I had just controlled my response and turned the other cheek, I would have been able to set an example of holiness in an otherwise unholy situation. And who knows what that example would have led me to…
And it occurs to me today that I must pray for the Grace to turn the other cheek, for it is for me as difficult as turning the world on its axis. For if only I could turn the other cheek, then I could lead others to God, instead of somewhere else…
After all, who affront could ever be committed against me that was not first committed – and committed worse – against my Beloved…?
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
Comments