Minister’s Corner: Don’t retaliate

Jesus said, as is recorded in Matthew 5:38-39, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy tight cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Jesus is talking about more than physical violence. He is also referring to insults that are thrown our way. He said that when that happens, don’t return the insult, don’t retaliate.
Jesus’ point is not that we should let people physically abuse us. His point is that we should refrain from trying to get even when someone insults us. For virtually all of us, the latter happens much more than the former. With the exception of a couple of playground disagreements in elementary school, I have never been hit on the face by another person. But I have been insulted more times than I care to remember. And more times than I care to admit, I have gone out of my way to return the insult. Often times, we fume and fret over an insult, playing and replaying it in our minds, thinking about what we should have said, what we wish we had said.
It never does any good. It never makes you feel better. It never resolves the problem. It never takes away the hurt. In fact, the longer you hold onto the idea of retaliation, the more the insult hurts.
The Apostle Peter said, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9)
When you are insulted, you can waste your energy thinking of ways to get even, or you can choose the alternative to revenge and be obedient to the Lord’s command. You can be like your heavenly Father. You can love your enemies. You can be sons of your Father.