Scripture to Read: Luke 6:29–31
Jesus also spoke about accepting certain evils being done to us. We read in Luke 6:29–31, “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” When Jesus said that when someone slaps you on the one cheek, it was understood in the days of Jesus as a deep insult; this was not about an actual slap on the face. Jesus modeled this well for us, for He was insulted by being called a glutton, a drunkard, an illegitimate child, a blasphemer, a madman, demon-possessed, and other things, but He never retaliated with unkind words. Jesus also laid out for all how to sacrificially give and love. The only way to walk in this kind of sacrificial love and giving is to believe with all our hearts that God will take care of us and meet our needs. That is why God had Paul pen these words in Romans 12:14, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” God also had Paul write this in Romans 12:17, “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.” Then, God had Paul write this in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Living for Christ is going to look drastically different than living according to the standard of this world.
Challenge & Application
What does living for Christ look like for you these days?
How can we fulfill what Christ has commanded us to do as His followers?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!