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.
