Turning The Other Cheek

Matthew 5:39 says But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Without question, this verse reveals how humiliating it can be at times to be a Christian. The essence of what Jesus was teaching when he stated this to his disciples is that when another person offends us, we have an opportunity to allow the nature of Jesus to shine through us. Oswald Chambers said it like this "A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus."

Colossians 1:24 says Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's affictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church." The message translation says it like this: "I want you to know how glad I am that it's me sitting here in this jail and not you. There's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church's part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth."

This passage clearly illustrates the Apostle Paul's understanding of suffering for Christ sake. Moreover, he seems to welcome it with joy! Another way of saying what he said in this scripture passage is, every time we take a blow in the natural world (an offense, insult, etc.) we are putting our Lord's honor before our own. "A disciple realizes that it is his Lord's honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor."

We should never look for righteousness in other people while never ceasing to be righteous ourselves. In this world, many people look for justice, particuallarly when they have been offended. Real Christian maturity doesn't look for justice when offense occurs. Instead, the mature Christian never ceases to give justice in the face of offense.