Offer The Other Cheek!

Offer the other cheek!

Mathew 5:39”But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”

Don’t gulp the entire message flippantly and recklessly in one shot and forget about it, take time to read it in small portions and understand the scriptures. Circulate it far and wide!

Seeking forgiveness and apology is passé; punching the nose and smashing the face is today’s trend! How do I talk about the precious subject of offering the ‘other cheek’ at a time when we are bombarded on all sides with violence and vengeance? People have become numb to the whole idea of crime and so the idea of watching crime shows do not frighten them. Also yes, there is considerable appetite, as crime is one of the most popular entertainment these days, well, it’s not only the movie field that manufacturers such stuff; but even video games are fierce and can adversely affect the mind of the people, you’ve got to watch this stuff to know what I’m talking about!

Offering the ‘other cheek’, though a common phrase to few, but it is too precious a subject to preach; I guess it forms the foundation of our Christian living. Oswald Chambers said: “There is a snare in being able to talk about God’s truth easily because frequently that is where it ends.”

Offer the other cheek! What does Jesus mean by this? Let me put it in few words: to suffer injustice! In an aggressive, angry world, where people want to do tit for tat, I surely need the grace of God and His anointing to allow this message to seep into the hearts of people. Well, the ‘hatred spirit’, envy and vengeance has not only crept into the corridors of the Corporate sectors, Parliaments and Streets but also into Christian homes and churches and the enemy seems to create confusion; let this message heal the scars and bring peace!

Friend, it is one thing to remain silent when you are falsely accused and attacked, but it requires the power of Christ to offer the other cheek as well to the attacker! Anybody listening? Peter points out the source of power in 1 Peter 1:1 “….we are kept by the power of God.” Can we say Amen? Let me categorically point out here friends, without the power of the Holy Spirit we cannot live a victorious life! People who neglect church, Bible and prayer will not have power to win the enemy; make an effort to be filled with the anointing of God. It’s easy to snap back but it needs God’s power to smile in the midst of false accusation and battering!!

Have we not as Christians lost the sheen in our life today? The world cannot find an iota of the image of Christ in Christians today. Brothers and sisters who do not talk to each other are the committee members of the church! A church-going-Christian who does not miss a single Sunday service, files a complaint against his neighbor because his mango tree had transgressed into his garden and messed up his place. Imagine! Every bit of news I give is what I have heard and seen; even if it means loss, pain, humiliation or injustice, endure it for the sake of Christ. Are you listening?

“Jesus prepared his disciples beforehand for the persecutions that they would face when they go out carrying His name. He clearly pointed out to them to be different people. We are supposed to be a different breed of people” said, LEONARD RAVENHILL.

Please listen! You cannot shove Jesus away from your work spot or from your business, He wants to get involved in your life. Are you there! The world would say, “Religion is personal but Jesus said: I am the Vine of your life.” He is our breath, He is our life, He has to be the reason for our life!

Are you there? ‘Don’t take nonsense’, ‘give them back’, or “I’m not a fool to take your nonsense” are the counseling of the world but Jesus said: “offer your other cheek to the one who slaps you!” Praise the Lord! We should scroll down and read the scriptures that follow as well, in order to get the full impact of the message, read please:

• Those who take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.

• whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

• from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away.

• love your enemies, bless those who curse you

• do good to those who hate you

• pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you

Now, I am coming to the most important point now, when we do the above, in the next scripture we see the reward that we get: