Do Unto Others, Do It First!

Gospel	Luke 6:27-38 ©

Love your enemies

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

  ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

Jesus gave us a lot to think about in this reading.  I don’t know about you but I certainly have a hard time turning the other cheek when someone offends me.  My first reaction is to take action, to plan revenge, to go after the culprit and give to him what he has coming to him!  This is how a normal human being reacts to being the victim of some sort of offense against his or her person.  It is quite natural and it has been this way since Cain killed Abel.  But for us, it needs to be different.  We need to take the initiative when we can to defuse the situation.  We need to be the first to ask for a truce and to propose a solution to the issue that is fair to both sides.  This means neither side gets all that they want but each gets some of what they want.

What turning the other cheek does NOT mean is to become a whipping boy for your opponent.  You are entitled to defend yourself against the attack of another because you are a child of God and have that dignity within you.  For example, a wife does not have to stay and “take it” from an abusive husband.  A child with special needs does not have to take the abuse of bullies.  You get the idea.  We should not look for trouble, but when it finds us we should exhaust our efforts for a peaceful solution before physical action is taken.   Sure, we are going to think this through when you are caught in a dark alley with a man intent on robbing and rolling you!  Jesus meant for us to be people of peace.  We need to respect and love all people.  We do not have to take a beating from them nor do we have to allow ourselves to be used as a doormat!

Forgiveness for us must take the place of vengeance. But self-defense is always appropriate provided our response is measured and we do not hang around to “finish the job.”  To forgive someone is not one of those things that are optional for a Christian.  It is a requirement, a command by our Lord and Savior Jesus.  If we forgive we will be forgiven. If we don’t we won’t.  Jesus forgave from the Cross.  Can we do any less?