“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak 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” (Matthew 5:38-42; all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible).

Some passages in the Sermon on the Mount can feel like a verbal punch in the nose. Jesus calls His disciples to a truly countercultural life.

We instinctively seek revenge and demand justice. Jesus calls us to respond to hostility and injustice by extending peace, mercy, forgiveness, and grace. When people slap us in the face, the world (and most people in the church) will tell us to retaliate. Jesus said we should turn the other cheek. “Here, you didn’t get this one. Make sure they both feel the same.”

We demand our rights. Jesus told His disciples to give even more than is demanded from us. In His day, a Roman soldier could stop anybody and order them to carry a load for them. So, according to Jesus, if a soldier orders you to go one mile, you should insist on carrying it even further (even though it might be taking you away from things you find important). In all circumstances, extend God’s grace to people—especially those who do not deserve it.

Some Christians will claim that Jesus’ teaching does not apply to us today. Since He made such bold commands, they assume He was speaking to His disciples as Jews bound to the Old Testament law. Matthew 28:18-20 shows this is a cowardly way of making Jesus a liar: He told His disciples to instruct later generations to follow all He had taught them (not just the few things He said after the resurrection or the things we find easy). Furthermore, Paul echoes Jesus’ radical call to forgiveness and grace:

“Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:1 7-21).

For any readers who call themselves “Bible-believing Christians” and still claim that Jesus’ teaching about revenge does not matter today: It is the same as Paul’s. We cannot claim that we follow the Word of God if we are rejecting both what Jesus said and Paul wrote. It is a hard message, but since it comes from Christ Himself, we have two choices: obey Him or confess that we are falling short of His will for our lives.

While verses 38-41 call us to radical passive resistance, verse 42 calls us to radical generosity. “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.” Jesus might not expect us to give until we are forced into homelessness and begging, but few Christians have that problem. Instead, we have excuses:

• “That person obviously made some bad choices to get into that mess. He needs to accept the consequences.”
• “We should not encourage the vagabond and/or drug addict lifestyle.”
• “He or she will just use it on drugs or alcohol.”
• “I can’t afford to give. I need an expensive sports car, premium cable TV channels, a $700 cell phone, etc.”

There is some truth to the first three (the fourth is an example of selfish American consumerism, an anti-Christian value system shared by many so-called Christians). Even with the truths, remember what Romans 12:19 said: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” God knows what He is doing. He will judge, convict, draw to repentance, etc. Our job is to love God and our neighbors (Matthew 22:37-39).

A helpful mindset might be to remember that all we have belongs to God. Even our money is a gift from Him. We are merely His stewards. This attitude helps us reconsider how we handle His money. When people take from us, they are taking what belongs to God. If they are borrowing money from us, they are actually borrowing it from God.

So, when giving to others, you may mention that you are giving to them as unto the Lord (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). Then, if that beggar takes the money that you intended for food and wastes it on alcohol, he or she will have to answer to God. You have done your part.

Jesus called His disciples to be His witnesses and examples to the world. This will often force us to seek to glorify Him even when it may be an inconvenient, or even painful, sacrifice. We are laying up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21), so our current sacrifices become eternal investments.

Lord, we are often tempted to put ourselves first and to serve You only by ministering to those who are easy to love: our families, friends, neighbors, and fellow church members. Give us a heart to love and forgive others even when it hurts, knowing that You are showing Your love and mercy through us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Feel free to share an experience where you had the opportunity to “turn the other cheek” or go the extra mile to bless another person, including giving to a stranger in Jesus’ name. Add your comments below.

Copyright © 2023 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.