“But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” – Matthew 5:39
Are you ready, willing, and able to do this? Seriously. Jesus does it toward you. Each of us figuratively slaps Jesus on the cheek every time we sin. Every time… Sin is always rebellion against Christ’s authority. It’s always defiance against His Lordship over our lives. It’s always a rejection of His right to rule despite being the Sustainer of the universe and its Redeemer.
Each of us has slapped Jesus countless times. And yet, He continues to offer us Himself, His grace, and His forgiveness. Because of your sin and the sin of every other person, Jesus submitted to the cross. But first, He was betrayed by a friend, arrested, slapped, spit on, mocked, condemned by a mob, struck on the head, crowned with thorns, and brutally whipped. Only then did He carry His heavy instrument of death to His place of execution. Then He was nailed to that cross He carried and lifted up to die a slow and agonizing death.
Make no mistake, Jesus has already turned His cheek for your sake over and over. He commands you to do the same. As a follower of Jesus, you’re called to not just like Him and worship Him on Sundays. You’re called to be like Him – in thoughts, words, and deeds. Seriously. Jesus is asking you to turn your cheek toward those who’ve struck you, insulted you, or persecuted you just as He does for you. He’s asking you to submit to persecution and injustice, just like He did. He’s commanding you to live in peace when every bit of your being cries out for violence. Will you follow Jesus today?