If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
Summary: Allowing someone to slap us and then inviting them to slap us again is counter-intuitive. Why would anybody do that?
Sometimes it is hard to figure out what Jesus is talking about. Often, his teachings are indirect parables, the lessons layered in between the words. His healings are different. They are direct. His touch brings healing and renewal. In that sense, his healing touch is a parable for his words. His words, too, bring healing and renewal to the soul.
To use John’s metaphor, Jesus is light (John 1: 4-5). Jesus wants his light to shine in us and through us (Matthew 5: 14-16).
So how do we do that?
We are told to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22: 39), and we are told to turn the other cheek if someone slaps us across the face (Matthew 5:39).
Jesus is dead serious about this stuff.
He tells us anyone angry with someone is “subject to judgment” (Matthew 5:21), and if we call anyone a name as benign as “fool,” we are “in danger of the fire of hell” (Matthew 5:22).
None of this makes sense from a worldly perspective. Fighting is part of the human experience. People are supposed to defend their turf and argue for their point of view. Letting people walk all over you doesn’t add up unless we use heavenly math.
Using heavenly math, things of this world equal zero. The things of heaven equal a number beyond infinity. The things of hell are infinitely negative.
Collecting stuff in this world doesn’t buy us anything. Period. Living as God wants us to live is very different than what the world wants.
Forgiveness is part of God’s heavenly math.
If we don’t forgive a debt, we are claiming what is owed for ourselves. That could be money, or it could be bragging rights for being “right.” It doesn’t matter. If we do someone wrong, then they “own” us. If we have something on somebody else, then we “own” them, even if the ownership is only in our minds.
The thing is that God has already forgiven us a debt bigger than we could ever hope to repay. If somebody slaps us, we have a “right,” according to the world’s ways, to slap them back or “get even” in some other way.
God says, “Uh uh.” According to his math, he has already cleared us of a debt bigger than any slap. If we can’t forgive a slap on the face, then we are, metaphorically speaking, slapping God on the face. (In case you didn’t know, slapping the guy you want to spend eternity with is not a good look.)
Application: I want to say ‘turn the other cheek,’ but people might take that as a slap in the face.
Food for Thought: How do we apply these teachings in our daily life as a Christian?
This is something I have thought about and dealt with all my life. From getting “picked on” in school, to dealing with getting slapped both literally and figuratively by various people in my life (not that the physical slaps happen very often lol). As a Child of God, I must remember that my witness for Christ is 24/7 in good times and in bad. How I react to getting a slap is one way that people are going to see how Christ is working in my life.
Have you ever heard the story of the farmer who couldn’t get his donkey to plow a field? The neighbor told the farmer “I can help,” so the farmer said “sure.” The neighbor picked up a stick and wacked the donkey across the face. When the farmer protested the neighbor said “you have to get his attention first.”
When someone “slaps” you across the face, they definitely have your full attention and you have theirs. What will you do with that opportunity? If you are thinking eternally, you may find the opportunity to share Christ.
Chris,
What a novel way of looking at a slap! I think you are on to something!! What does God want me to pay attention to here?
How do we apply this?
I think the key is that we do choose to apply it.
Every time someone insults us or intentionally hurts us, as Chris said – there is an opportunity to apply this teaching. We have a decision to make. In our culture this opportunity is not uncommon.
We have to make a decision of the will to respond as the Lord has called us to respond rather than how our ego and sinful nature are pushing us to respond. Like so many other things the Lord asks of His followers, it is simple but not easy.
If we are in God’s word and walking in the Spirit, we are much more likely to respond as Jesus wants us to respond. So to help apply these teachings we need to be listening to the Spirit throughout the day. Then the fruit of the Spirit is more likely to bloom. Galatians 5: 16 – 26.
Rich,
“Simple but not easy.” Well said, and so very true!
01-09-2023, How do we apply these teachings in our daily life as a Christian?
Rich packaged it nicely!
Everything God teaches in our bibles is contrary to the teachings of this world we exist in, contrary to the desires of our flesh. There are only two choices. We must daily seek to achieve some compromising standard according to our personal reasoning, “seeking to obey God under our own power.” ( a form of rejection ) OR choose to reject self control and submit to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Most believers begin our new lives in Christ, in study and applying God’s word under our own power. It’s our works which meet our version of God’s standards as we have chosen to understand them, and are not pleasing to God. The Bible say’s, go do this, go do that, and so we do. In time we get tired, and we hear the Holy Spirit as He explains we are to Humbly Submit and live in obedience to our God. He will do all the work through us as we believe.
This is when we begin to understand and experience our true mission and will actually feel the joy of Christ working through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We see the fruit of His works which was missing in ours, and we find peace living in His will over our own. Stop paying attention to the call of this world and focus on serving God by allowing Him to do all things through us, as we live in peace and stability. Jesus submitted to God, we submit to Jesus.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5, Romans 8:3-4
Study and apply God’s word by willfully choosing to obey through submission. Remain in Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray for faith as we choose living in submission to our God over our flesh,
Ephesians 6:18, James 1:5-6, 2:18, Matthew 12:35, 2 Peter 1:10-11
Ron,
“Jesus submitted to God, we submit to Jesus.”
Nicely put!
👍