I heard a minister friend of mine remark that “the streets are very Old Testament” in their operations. I think he was referring to the passage above. If you talk to youth involved in violence, they’ll tell you that violent acts imposed on them must be met with a more violent response. The same “eye for an eye” mentality is not only in the streets, but can also be seen in aspects of our lives as well. But Jesus fearlessly breaks that pattern. It is a part of the new lifestyle we are to emulate as his followers. Think about how you must “turn the other cheek” today. But what, you may ask, can we do with the anger, frustration, the sense of injustice, and the feeling that someone is getting away with something when we don’t retaliate? We’ll explore that this week but one thing is for sure, if we keep verse 38 as a rule, eventually everyone would be blind and toothless! …
Lord, show me the places in my life where I must turn the other cheek, give me the strength to do so, and help me to understand its lessons, in Jesus name, AMEN
