On Turning the Other Cheek

You know, I have actually had a lot of clients who were of the Christian faith just as I am and I have found that there are some ideas going around about the teachings of Jesus that are pretty whacky.

I want to talk to you a bit today about this idea of “turning the other cheek” which Jesus of Nazareth spoke of in the book of Matthew.

If you’re interesting in reading this account in detail it can be found in the famous “Sermon on the Mount” in Mt. Ch 5-7

The reason I felt the need to write about this is that there is so much misunderstanding regarding this scripture. In fact, it has even gotten to where we say “turn the other cheek” to refer to passive inaction when it comes to dealing with conflict or with difficult people. In other words, someone insults, assaults, disrespects, offends or violates us in some way and we are just to “turn the other cheek,” aka “ignore it.”

As a result, entire droves of men belonging to the Christian faith have been taught to pee sitting down in the name of their devotion to Christ.

Scuze’ my crass Americanism, but this is BS…..a sure way to cripple someone’s ability to deal with conflict in a mature manner and to become a leader of themselves and others.

Let’s look at something first:

Jesus says that if a person strikes you (punch in the original language of the New Testament) that you are to “turn the other cheek to them also.”

In this passage, he also says that if someone forces you to go with them one mile that you ought to go with them two and that if someone wants to sue you and take your coat, give them your cloak also.

Now let’s look at this in context:

Jesus was teaching in Palestine during a time of Roman rule. The Jewish people were being oppressed and disrespected by most of the Romans. In fact, there were times when a Roman soldier could even stop a Jewish citizen and force them to carry their belongings for them. Resistance bore severe penalties and the spirits of the Jewish people were being crushed under this constant oppression and by their severe poverty.

So here comes Jesus, someone who gives them hope by teaching them to conduct themselves with compassion while still maintaining their dignity as human beings.

So what did he tell them to do? Skulk away into the shadows and lick themselves like wounded animals?

No, what he was speaking of here was not only taking a stand in the face of injustice, but also challenging just how far that unjust person was willing to go. This is not the same as the resistance which some of the rebels of the day had subjected themselves to. Jesus had told his followers to “not resist evil.”  In other words, he didn’t tell them to refuse to go one mile in the first place or to strike back in anger and retaliation. However, he did teach people to stand their ground….and more.

He told them to up the ante and challenge injustice with not only a refusal to back down but demonstrating the strength to take whatever else the enemy might dish out. This is not being passive. This is having the balls to stand up to tyranny with strength in the same way that Jesus himself stood up injustice.

You may have heard this before: “The only thing that is needed for evil to exist is for the good to do nothing.”

Jesus knew this and when he was faced with injustice he didn’t skulk away or collapse into silent meditation. He had both the guts and the compassion to demonstrate a love that has the power to change history…and it did.

This blend of guts and compassion is a rare combination these days. Most of us (and all of us at least some times) display either one or the other, which in reality only leads to counterfeits and caricatures of guts and compassion.

For example, “compassion” without the guts to stand up to injustice is weakness and allows for injustice to run rampant.

At the same time, “guts” without compassion is simply the weak imitating the strong by being rude and arrogant.

Real love has both at the same time and is willing to stand up in the face of injustice and say:

“Is that all you got?”

Nice.

Let’s take a few examples and then I’ll post this for your comments:

In Mark Ch. 3 Jesus is teaching in the temple and he sees a man there with a “withered” hand (crippled in the New Testament language, most likely some kind of muscular dysfunction). He has compassion and heals the man’s hand. Meanwhile the prissy prim and proper religious leaders of the day are like: “Dude, you’re not supposed to do that. It’s against the law on the Sabbath day.”

So what does the master do? Skulk away and pray about it?

No, he challenged them…right to their grills. The scriptures even said that he was angry. (Wow, go figure that one…yes, sometimes love demonstrates itself in anger against injustice.)

There was another time in Matthew Ch. 12 when Jesus was walking with his disciplines in the fields and they were picking wheat and eating it on the Sabbath day. The religious leaders challenged Jesus and criticized his disciples for doing what was “unlawful on the Sabbath day.”

Again, they didn’t find themselves dealing with the passive Mr. Rogers-like Jesus who is portrayed in so many modern Christian teachings. Jesus challenged them, even criticized them for valuing religious tradition over compassion and over a practical regard for the human condition.

Sweet.

There are dozens of other examples in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament. I encourage anyone to read them and see what kind of a person Jesus really was when he was faced with injustice. He was not the meek, mild, passive Emo-Jesus who so many have painted him out to be.

In fact, I suspect that was the reason he choose such an unruly and roughneck set of disciplines to spread his message. He knew that they would have the sack to speak up for the truth without having to sweat their pious religious reputations being damaged.

So, as a disciple of Jesus, I encourage you to have the guts to stand up to injustice and to face conflict head on instead of crawling under a rock and ignoring it. Sometimes the injustice may even come from those you love the most. It takes a rare blend of courage and compassion to stand up and say: “I love you and I’m not going anywhere, but this behavior is not acceptable.”

Of course, you want to do everything you can to be sure that it is love and compassion instead of pride and ego that’s driving you. Even if you do, there will be times when you’ll get it wrong.

That’s ok. Just remember that Jesus didn’t suffer death and crucifixion so that people could tiptoe around for fear of being seen as “imperfect.”

That’s what the grace of God is all about.

Follow the example of the master. Have the guts to stand against injustice with compassion and to demonstrate the strength of a true leader.

-To Your Success,

Seth Czerepak

 

______________________________

 

If you want the feeling of real security and sense of peace and support that comes only through strong and positive personal relationships, then you owe it to yourself to learn how to get them.  Start now by registering for FREE membership to our website. Gain priceless information that will help you to attract and maintain healthy and life-enriching relationships on our site and in our monthly newsletter, also FREE with registration.

PLUS, register now and get your free copy of “The Human Condition” a groundbreaking examination of human behavior that teaches:

• how to recognize the circumstances that are keeping you from enjoying healthy relationships
• the conditions that effect the actions of every human being and how those conditions influence your personal relationships
• how to understand what must happen to transform harmful behaviors into empowering ones
• and at last, the ONE element that will enable you to attract and maintain positive relationships and live a life of meaning and peaceful satisfaction

 

Remember, we never share your information or spam you. Because spam is just rude….and we aren’t.

 This VQ Success Membership Site is Powered By Wordpress Wishlist