It amazes me how many people who claim that Jesus is Lord of their life do not obey this command. Sometimes they gossip about the person who hurt them, sometimes they go to their pastor, and sometimes they plan and get back at you. Let’s take a look at this command that seems to be so difficult for people …

It was 8:30 pm and more than a hundred men and some companions were all gathered in a park eating a really delicious meal served to the poor and homeless in Sydney, Australia. One of my friends had finished his meal and was chatting when a large, angry man came up and hit him on the cheek with a punch.

Nick, my friend recovered from the shock and said, “Do you need to do that again?”

The bully hit him with another hard punch and received the same response from Nick: “Do you need to do that again?”

The bully hit Nick, who was a black belt in his own right, four times and Nick asked the same question four times.

The bully’s heart broke over this and he began to cry. He said, “Why don’t you call the police and put me in jail?”

Nick realized that this man was having a hard time being in free society after being locked in the routines of jail for too many years. Nick put his arm around him and said, “Would you like to come with me for a well-brewed coffee and we’ll have a good chat?”

In my life, I have not heard many stories like that. Could you do that, tough men reading this? Or would you have had a very violent fight with this guy fresh out of jail?

In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, Paul speaks and says that the wisdom of God is foolishness to men.

Many of Jesus’ teachings seem silly. This idea that people can hurt you, and just forgive them and then allow them to hurt you again sounds pretty stupid. Many Christians do not turn the cheek, they go to the police and have the person arrested and sent back to jail.

I was 20 years addicted to prostitute services, and I seriously wanted to break the habit, so when I saw my psychiatrist the next time I asked him if I could take the chemical castration pill that pedophiles are given when they get out of jail. This pill completely stops the production of sperm in the body and I knew that with that pill it would set me free.

My psychiatrist said the only way I could get that pill was if I was a sex offender and they couldn’t prescribe it to me regardless of whether I had a prostitution addiction.

While hanging out with my social worker who was at the meeting, she said:

“Matthew, I’d like you to give up this Christian crap that you believe in. Why don’t you jerk off?”

I came out so mad at her. How dare you speak of my faith like that? I thought to myself that what he said must have been a violation of ethics and seriously considered reporting what he did to his superiors in a letter.

Jesus spoke to my heart when I had calmed down. “Of course you could turn the other cheek, Matthew!”

Yes, I could do that. It is difficult to do this obedience way of life. So I didn’t report her and it was the same happy old Matthew the next time we met.

You see readers, the commandments of Jesus are not easy to do at times and you will be forced to contact Jesus and ask him to give you the strength to fulfill them. When you live a life under the continual help and power of the Holy Spirit, your life is a continual witness to everyone around you who watches your life.

Here’s another example a parent took with a rapist.

The daughter of an assistant pastor was raped and instead of reporting the man who did it, with permission, the father went and befriended the man. He invited the young man to come live in his own home with the daughter he had raped.

The rapist got a real surprise when he arrived with his suitcases and was introduced to the daughter. During dinner the first night, the daughter told the rapist that her father knew it was him and that he had invited you to come and learn how to be a kind and caring man.

Throughout the months with the new family, the orphan gave his life to Jesus and put a lot of pressure and persecuted Jesus with great fervor. The daughter and he became very close, they were like a brother and a sister. Years later, the rapist married the daughter of the senior pastor.

You’ll see:

Revenge would cause the shepherd to beat up and kill the bully. Justice would see the rapist arrested and imprisoned. But grace won when she welcomed the rapist and lavished love on him.

Too often we break the Father’s heart with our sin, but how many times does he forgive us and turn his cheek?

Something to ponder!

Maybe you would like to email this to someone?

Be blessed

Matthew Robert Payne