Devotional on Matthew 5:38-48
As I write these devotionals, I've used the two-year Daily Lectionary from the Book of Common Worship to help me choose the scriptures. Every day, there's a reading from both the Old and New Testament, and I pick the one I most want to write about.
Today's New Testament reading happens to be the exact scripture we discussed in church this past Sunday. It's something I've been pondering all week... And fair warning: It's still something I have a lot of questions about... And that's okay!
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges his followers to not repay evil for evil. The pastor said that we sometimes look at these words and think, "Well, Jesus had some nice ideas, but they just don't work in the 'real world.'"
But he went on to explain that Jesus lived in a culture filled with violence. He wasn't naive to the real world. And he wasn't saying these things from an ivory tower, far removed from everyday life. He was in the mess with us. And he wanted us to live in a different way.
It's also easy to think Jesus was telling us to just be a punching bag. Let people slap you around and steal from you. But that isn't the case either.
Jesus was advocating for something so different that it's hard for us to even imagine it. And he gives specific examples related to his culture and time. Examples like:
"You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also." (v. 38-39)
In that culture, honor and shame were a big deal. If someone slapped you on the right cheek, it means they backhanded you. A huge display of disrespect! It was a sign that you were inferior to them. But if you turned the other cheek, it meant that the other person had to either:
1. backhand you with their left hand, which would bring shame on them because that hand was only used for, um... we'll say hygienic purposes... :) Or,
2. slap you with an open palm, which makes you their equal.
Another example:
If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. (v. 41)
A Roman soldier could force you to carry their gear for a mile. As you can imagine, most people did this begrudgingly. It was humiliating, physically taxing, and inconvenient. But by going an extra mile, you are choosing to show love rather than being forced. You are taking power away from your oppressor.
In both cases, you are showing your enemy that you have dignity. Far from being a pacifist, you are very active in your response. It's just that you are choosing a non-violent way. A different way. A more imaginative way.
And within the larger context of the Sermon on the Mount, this makes sense. That sermon is about showing us what life in his kingdom looks like. It's an invitation to build his kingdom in this world using his upside-down methods. And when we do, we see that his kingdom is the true "real world."
When we get into a conflict, we're so used to the "Fight or Flight" options.
FIGHT: We match violence for violence, insult for insult. As my grandma taught her kids, "You don't start fights. But if someone hits you, you hit back!" It makes a certain kind of sense in this world.
FLIGHT: We avoid conflict or allow people to walk all over us. Maybe we even act passive-aggressively as a way to secretly win. Again, it's so easy to choose this path.
But what if there was a third option? The kingdom option.
In this option, we find creative ways to seek peace amid violence. It's an active kind of peace that brings dignity to all, including ourselves.
This kingdom option takes imagination. But I think that's what Jesus was doing in the Sermon on the Mount—giving us a spiritual imagination.
I'm still grappling with what that means.
Let's grapple together!
As we begin our day, here are some questions to ponder:
Take some time to read Matthew 5:38-48. What challenges you about it? What inspires you about it?
How is life in God's kingdom different from what the world expects?
If you get into a conflict today, how can you choose the "third option"—the kingdom way?
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If you enjoyed this devotional, please take a moment to check out my Nobody Left Out series of devotionals. They were written to help ordinary people (like me!) grow in their relationship with Jesus.
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