Loading... Matthew 5:39 - TURN TO HIM THE OTHER ALSO
Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
It is easier to seek revenge then it is to forgive someone who has wronged you. The world’s standard is to get back and get even when someone wrongs you. However, the standards of God are higher; God requires that those who are called by HIS name are to forgive those who have done something wrong.
The problem is, if we seek to obtain revenge, what we think will give us peace will actually create more turmoil in our life and the lives of others. We are told in Romans 12:19 “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” It takes great self-control to put aside your right to get back at someone who has hurt you and turn the problem over to God. It is easier to do what seemeth right in your own eyes.
When Jesus was betrayed by Judas, we see Peter quickly picking up his sword and rushing to fight against those who wished to do Jesus harm. Jesus rebuked Peter and reminded Peter how God’s will was being fulfilled through the bad actions of one whom HE loved.
We need to understand that sometimes bad things occur to us because God wants to use those opportunities to do something special in our lives. If we insist on defending our rights and going to battle over the evil that we experience, then we will be consumed by our desire for vengeance and we will miss the purpose that God has for us.
If Potiphar’s wife had not lied and told Potiphar that Joseph had tried to rape her, Joseph never would have been in prison. Joseph could have spent his time in prison trying to think of a way to get even with Potiphar’s wife but instead he decided to bloom where God had planted him and as a result, when he saw the baker and butler upset, he was ready to serve. This later opened the door for Joseph to be right where God wanted him to be.
God never promised that your life would be fair. We live in a world surrounded by evil where everyone does that which is right in their own eyes. God desires to use your life to be a light unto the world to reveal to the world the love of God. If you are insisting on getting even with everyone who has done you harm, you will be more concerned about your rights then reflecting the love of God and when the world looks at you, they will see that you are no different than them and they will quickly discount your testimony for God.
It will take great restraint on your part to not do what comes naturally and seek revenge. However, you must be like Job and understand that God is the one who gives you everything and God is the one who takes it all away. By adding temperance to your faith, virtue, and knowledge, God will give you the strength to do what you are supposed to do rather than follow the example of the world and do what seemeth right in your own eyes.
In this passage Christ calls us to a higher standard. If we desire to please God then we need to abandon our old ways and seek to forgive others rather than to obtain revenge. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. The next time someone does something that is unfair or unjust, stop and ask God how you can forgive them and demonstrate HIS love to them. By showing love when someone does evil to you, you will be living your life as God desires you to live it and God will be pleased with you.