Matthew 5:38-42-“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
Late one summer evening in Broken Bow, Nebraska, a weary truck driver pulled his rig into an all-night truck stop. He was tired and hungry. The waitress had just served him when three tough looking, members of the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang pulled into the diner, and decided to give this truck driver a hard time.
They verbally abused him, then one of the gang members grabbed the hamburger off his plate, another took handful of his French fries, and the third picked up his coffee and began to drink it.
How the truck driver responded is legendary. He calmly rose, picked up his check, walked to the front of the room, put the check and his money on the cash register, and went out the door. The waitress placed the money in the cash register, then followed after him, and stood watching out the door as the big truck drove away into the night.
When she returned, one of the cyclists said to her, "Well, he's not much of a man, is he?"
She replied, "I don't know about that, but he sure isn't much of a truck driver. He just ran over three motorcycles on his way out of the parking lot."
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Exodus 21:23-25-Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he is his property.
“If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life,
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Leviticus 24:19-20-‘If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so shall it be done to him—
fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him.
Deuteronomy 19:21-Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
These laws were given so that it would limit vengeance, it was also given to give a judge a guide to go by when he was ruling on a case.
No one could be punished above the punishment they had afflicted!
If they harmed someone’s eye, then it would cost them their eye.
If they had cut off someone’s hand, then it would cost their hand.
Mercy was being put into action in this law.
These laws were given so that a judge could rule on case, this was not meant for people to execute themselves.
These were not given so a man could be his own judge and jury!
Jesus is telling us three areas of our life we maybe attacked!
If we are hopefully, we will have the mindset to react in a way that is becoming to Christ!
1-Somebody Is Threatening You Physically!
Verse 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.
2-Somebody Is Threatening You Legally!
Verse 40-If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
3-Somebody Is Making You Do Their Work!
Verse 41-And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
I think Jesus is teaching us to react differently than how we would normally react to these situations. (Remember this…For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.)
It would be hard to stand there and being slapped in the face and not retaliating!
(Being slapped in the face doesn’t always mean physically, it can also mean verbally.)
It would be hard to take that someone would bring you to court and take away something that belonged to you, something you worked for.
It is hard (This is were a lot of us have to deal with, when we are working with other people) to pick up the slack of people who are not doing their job.
Then we have to stop and ask ourselves are we doing it for them, for our boss, for the company, or are we doing it for Christ?
Are you willing to go the extra mile?
Are you willing to give away, what you can’t keep anyway? You won’t need it in Heaven
1 Peter 2:19-20-For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
Romans 12:14-21-Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
