[Dailydevo] Daily Devotion Friday September 23, 2005

[Barry Ludwig]

Daily Devotion Friday September 23, 2005

This week's devotions are written by Pastor Ludwig and are based upon well
known Biblical "one-liners."

 

Matthew 5:39 (RSV)

"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 evildoer. But if anyone  strikes
you on the right cheek, turn the other also."

 

It is said that the role of the Pastor is to comfort the afflicted and
afflict the comfortable. Jesus certainly does the later in this saying.
While we may pay lip service to this teaching with the words, "turn the
other cheek," too often we do not follow through with our thoughts and
actions.

What Jesus is saying here is a radical definition of the Kingdom of God.
Even as God's Son Jesus is longsuffering, so too we are to be like him.  The
thought of not hitting back or firing an angry salvo of words toward someone
who has hurt us is counter-intuitive. We rationalize our angry responses or
actions of revenge under the guise of self-defense or even righteous-anger.
Jesus simply reminds us that evil is evil. As a child, my parents taught me
that "two wrongs don't make a right." 

How will you respond to the slaps you may receive today? Try the radical
response of your Lord Jesus.

 

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