I found myself talking to my husband about “turning the other cheek” today. I think I finally understand it. It isn’t about standing there and being a punching bag. It’s about not letting someone else determine who you really are.
When someone slaps your right cheek, you can react to that action in so many ways with anger, fear, frustration, etc. Or you can turn the other cheek and continue to be the person you were meant to be and not react to it at all. You can tell that person that they can continue to slap you all they want, their actions aren’t going to change who you are. You are still going to be someone who loves with peace, kindness, and understanding regardless of how you are treated because that what Jesus taught.
It isn’t about letting yourself be a victim. Turning the other cheek is about recognizing the power within yourself to determine who you are. No one else can tell me the truth of who I am. No one else’s actions should ever influence what I know is my true self: the person I know God know I can be. It’s a struggle to not let the world change that, but finding that inner strength and power can be a beautiful thing. To know yourself is to know God better. It is an act of faith.
My faith saved me. May God’s peace reside in all of our hearts.
