Matthew 5:38-42

Jesus certainly shows us a different way than the world presents. It often seems only fair to operate by the “eye for an eye” principle—sometimes with interest—but we are called to be like our Father in heaven. The issue is that, in order to take out the other eye, so to speak, you have to step into the darkness. We do not overcome evil with evil; rather, we overcome evil with good. In common vernacular, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

I believe what Jesus is teaching here is that we must not allow someone else’s actions to pull us out of character. Just because someone else does something wrong does not absolve us of our responsibility to do what is right. As my husband often says, “You are not responsible for what others do to you, but you are responsible for what you do to others—and for how you respond to what others do to you.”

Turning the other cheek has always been a difficult teaching. It is what Jesus did, yet its purpose seems to be to highlight the stark contrast between the ways of the world and the ways of the Kingdom. When we respond in a way someone does not expect, it can cause them to confront their own behavior. It disarms them.

We must remember the ultimate goal: repentance and turning to God. As Paul instructs Timothy, a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome but kind, patient, and gentle, even when opposed. Through such conduct, God may change hearts, bring people to their senses, and free them from the enemy’s trap (2 Timothy 2:24–26).

God is patient with us and is not willing that any should perish. We, too, must practice patience and do our best to help others see a better way than the one they are currently living.

We are also called to be generous. Why? Because our Father in heaven is generous. He causes the sun to shine on both the righteous and the unrighteous. We give generously because He is generous. When generosity is part of our character, another person’s lack of generosity does not diminish it. Someone else’s bad behavior does not give us permission to behave badly in return.

Jesus calls us to a higher way of living—marked by humility—so that we can be true ambassadors of the King.