Turning the Other Cheek

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:27-36

Do you suppose there is any one of us who has not been mistreated, swindled or wronged in some way, at least in our own view point? My guess is not likely. Each of us has experienced pain at the hand of another, hurt from the words of another, disappointment at the the actions of another. What is most difficult, is that not every person who has broken our hearts has been someone we would have called an 'enemy' but instead it was a friend or family member.

It seems to me that those closest to us actually hurt us more. The wounds are much deeper when cut by the sharp words of a loved one. The bruise to our heart is longer lasting and harder to recover from when the punch comes from the seemingly selfish choices of a family member. And because of that, it's all the more important and infinitely more difficult, to pray our way out of the temptation to lash back.

Jesus speaks of 'turning the other cheek', not stopping someone from taking your tunic and if someone takes what belongs to you do not demand it back. Why? Because it so much easier retaliate than it is to hold your tongue. It so much easier to repay evil for evil and hit for hit than it is to stand your ground holding to the Word of God. It is easier to harbor hate, than it is to pray for those who have hurt you no matter how large or how small the hurt is.

I pray this morning that each of us finds it in our hearts, because it is there through the power of Jesus, to pray for our enemies. To take the higher, less traveled road and not look for retribution or fairness. When we don't think we have it in us to do it, we have to sincerely ask God to help us with it. It may only be one or two words, "Help me, Jesus", at first. But it will grow if we continue to seek His help, His strength and His love to do it with. It is not in our own abilities that we could ever accomplish this, but in His.