Sermon on the Mount. Cheeks, Cloaks and Paradox.

Matthew 5.38-48

“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 your 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.  Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Cheeks.

Turning the cheek is the antithesis of all of our natural inclinations.  When struck, wronged, or insulted the natural response is for self-justice.  The problem with justice is that it often comes at a price; the souls of those among us whom do not know the truth, and do not experience labored love from us in response.  Jesus here calls us to a deeper relation with our fellow man that does not include our third-grade response to harm. Christians are to be more concerned with doing right before God than anything else.  So, it is clear what he calls us not to do…but what would you say he is calling us to?  Are we called to be Christian pushovers in hope of winning souls to Christ?

Cloaks.

Giving of our resources is one thing, but are we really called here to give to the thief whom has chosen to steal from us?  I can’t help but think of Victor Hugo’s character of Jean Valjean.  The priest in his story gives him the candlesticks when he learns of Valjean’s theft of the silverware.  This single act of giving radically changes the man’s life for good.  Although fictitious, is this not exactly the result we would desire from our belongings?  How do we view what the Lord has blessed us with?  Does a loose grip on these things mean being willing to give them to even the most unlikely and undeserving?  [Deut. 15:9-11]

The Paradox.

Love those whom hate you.  Pray for those whom seek to do you harm.  Allow judgment to be God’s alone, and in the meantime seek to love and bless regardless of the way we are treated. Behave in a way that is counter to the way society expects.  This is the core of Christ’s calling on our lives.  We are not called to simply embrace and surround ourselves with the easy and lovable.  We are instead challenged to pray for the ones whom like us least.  Why isn’t being neutral (not repaying evil for evil) enough?  Why the impossible call to be perfect?  How is it related to the challenge to love those who hate us?