Turn the Other Cheek

Matthew 5:38-41, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.”

This is not a commentary on divorce, but it is an ex-wife that has brought this scripture into my training to be like Christ. It is no coincidence that my relationship to my son’s mother has been purposely confined to a written set of rules on behavior and responsibility. And yet as clearly as the document speaks she continuously acts in contempt of it and the judge who signed it. Time and time again she slaps me in the proverbial face. Weekly I am literally forced to go many miles beyond one or two.

Will no one put her in her place? Will I ever have victory? Do I get to have a win in my column?

I discussed my frustration with my friends among who were Jim, Aaron, and Jason. And what did I get back? Not a path to victory on paper, not a plan for a win, but instead I got the scripture above.

AAGH!!!!!!

That action does not force her into appreciating the compromise and sacrifice I make for our son. That action does not transfer control to me. Turning the other cheek, at least on the surface seems to be a path to more slapping, more inconvenience, more expense, and more frustration. But Jason advised that when I “turn the other cheek” then, (and only then) have I stripped her of her power over me. Her power to frustrate, her power to manipulate, and her power to bring turmoil into my life. He said something to the effect that when she is a ghost to me, nothing will matter but my time with our son.

If this were not enough heavenly conversation on the subject, I find myself convicted by the very T Austin-Sparks quote I sent to Jim. There is no distinction between living life and spirituality. All of life is about being conformed to the image of Christ. And on this TAS wrote.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. (Ephesians 1:3 NLT)

“Some people seem to think that spirituality is a kind of mystical or mythical ‘something’ – that spirituality is something remote from reality, a kind of ethereal frame of mind.  Well, spirituality is certainly not a frame of mind in the first place.  We speak of a calm and heavenly frame... and there may be something of this kind as a fruit of it... but spirituality is not a nebulous, mythical, or abstract thing at all.  Spirituality is the most practical thing. (Even turning the other cheek to an ex-wife, or driving extra miles to get a son you love.)

When men or women are called by God into some piece of Divine ministry and, in the face of the demand, are conscious to the last degree that they have no ability, no resource, no power to fulfill that ministry, that in themselves the thing is utterly and overwhelmingly impossible, (and frustrating) that for them to essay to do it would be the utmost folly and absurdity – when in such circumstances they recognize that they have a living Christ in whom are resources more than enough to meet that demand... and by faith lay hold of Him and go forward into the ministry (living as Christ) with that consciousness... that is spirituality; and that is practical, tremendously practical.  The issues prove that it is practical.  It is in that way heavenly things are done.”

By T. Austin-Sparks from: Boundless Heavenly Resources

Here’s to making spirituality practical.