TURN THE OTHER CHEEK?

Conflict - I tell my language arts students - is what drives a story.

In fact, it's what drives life itself. And, in a fallen world, it is unfortunately a defining feature of human interaction.

As I reach the halfway point of my spring break trip to Myrtle Beach, it strikes me that one of the main purposes of a vacation is to give a respite from all the day-to-day conflict in our lives. 

Apart from vacation time, I have typically chosen "turn the other cheek" as my default response to conflict, both great and small. It has great appeal in that one can feel righteously obedient to Scripture ... while meekly avoiding confrontation. 

For fifty years I have assumed that "turn the other cheek" was the hard and fast sole rule for believers facing any sort of hurt we receive from another person, but I have recently come to the conclusion that it is not.

If you don't believe me, take a second look at what Jesus actually says about turning the other cheek. The occasion is the Sermon on the Mount. The context is whether or not to practice "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" sort of revenge. 

In Matthew 5:38-39, Jesus teaches, "You have heard it said, 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth'. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." 

First, I don't think the emphasis here is on passivity. Rather, refraining from striking back is the focus. We should not imagine that Jesus would expect an abused wife, for instance, to stick around and continue absorbing her husband's violence. Certainly, though, He would counsel her not to put a knife to the guy's throat. That's a big difference.

Secondly, Jesus commands "turn the other cheek" as the best path for hurt received specifically from "an evil person".

Let me ask this: how many evil people have you come across in your lifetime? I mean, people that Jesus Himself would call evil. Maybe I have lived a charmed life, but I can think of only four or five people who have struck out to harm me or my family who I could justify calling "evil". 

So what about conflict with all the people who aren't evil? What about the folks who are simply misguided? Or overly self-righteous? Or who slipped up once or twice? Does "turn the other cheek" apply in those cases?

What about brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we supposed to turn the other cheek when they hurt us? 

Obviously, we're still not supposed to strike back, but Scripture lays out an even more difficult program when a fellow believer strikes us on the cheek.