September 29, 2009
Seventy X Seven
I have an acquaintance who was meddling in my affairs. One day I happened to pick up the phone when she was calling to talk to someone else and flippantly she said, “Well Gail, have you forgiven me?” I was a little taken back because she hadn’t so much as apologized, much less asked for forgiveness so I said, “I’m thinking about it.” Actually, that wasn’t true. I hadn’t thought about forgiving her because I didn’t think she was done meddling. I know, I know. That’s no excuse. But with some people you just can’t help feeling that if you combine turning the other cheek with forgiving seventy-times-seven all you’re going to do is get whiplash.
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Gail;
-----Turning the other cheek is a difficult attitude to grasp. Luke 6:27-31 seems to ask us to go about defenseless. In this world the defenseless will be plucked apart, seeing there are far more people who would be happier taking without return than giving without expecting return. But this Scripture speaks of situations in progress and attitudes towards perpetrators. It speaks of hearts and minds prepared in godliness that understand the physical things of this world can not be secure possessions, but the spiritual can be. And from those spiritual possessions of love and forgiveness the most valuable - the soul - can be defended completely. Even if the perpetrator eats into our physical goods so far as to end the physical body’s ability to function, our resulting death would not damage the soul if we maintain a perspective of love and forgiveness. In fact, it is this defense of our soul that affords us the best security we can have in our other possessions. For turning the other cheek, doing good to those who hate you, and not withholding your shirt also may be a surrender within the situation of a particular moment, but continually living these attitudes effects those who would strike you on the cheek or take your coat, usually enough that there can be some level of friendship even with your enemy. Therefore, the likelihood of such moments of loss occurring can be diminished by good and honorable behavior towards others. As for crossing paths with a thief in the alley, don’t take your valuables into the alley, don’t wear your good coat or shirt there, and don‘t expose your thoughts and plans to the meddlesome, either. Jesus did say to turn your other cheek, but He did not say to maintain that position within striking range.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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