39But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:38-48)
Would you rather have God defend you or defend yourself? That’s the choice Jesus offers here. “Turning the other cheek” is not a prescription for abuse but rather the way to get the Lord involved in your defense.
Many people believe these instructions of Jesus guarantee that others will take advantage of them. That would be true if there was no God! However, when we follow His commands, we know He is on our side. He said in Romans 12:19, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
When we fight back, we are drawing on our own strength; but when we turn the other cheek, we are invoking God as our defense. Once we understand this, it becomes obvious that these instructions are for our own good.
James 1:20 says that the wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Regardless of how appropriate our anger may seem or how much we think our wrath could make a person or situation change, we will never achieve God’s best that way.
When you defend yourself, you stop God from defending you. When you turn the other cheek to your enemies, you are releasing the power of God on your behalf. Let God defend you today.
