Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Miracle Mile
Matthew 5: 38-42
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye,
and tooth for tooth.’
39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you
on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40
And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as
well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile,
go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who
asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
These
are some radical words from Jesus. It’s a difficult passage – not so much in my
understanding of it but in my practice of it. The natural tendency is to take
matters into our own hands when we are wronged or hurt. Jesus has a different
approach (surprise!). The approach of Christ calls for me to depend on Him
(surprise!). As we rely fully on Jesus
Christ we can have a super-natural reaction rather than a natural one. One of
the problems with the “eye of eye and tooth for tooth” teaching was the way the
people were practicing it. They were
using this law for personal retaliation, not for criminal offenses or military
aggression. They were using it for slaps
in the face or for petty lawsuits for clothing.
Jesus was applying this principle of non-retaliation to affronts on one’s
dignity or a violation of personal rights.
What are you going to do when someone slaps you? What are you going to do when someone offends
you? The Lord is teaching at least four
principles here that require full trust in Him.
1)
Don’t take matters into your own hands.
Don’t resist or stand against the evil.
The natural tendency is “lex talionis” or the law of retaliation.
Followers of Christ are to leave room for God’s retaliation. “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave
room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay”,
says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
2)
Think about redemption instead of retaliation. Turn the other cheek. That is
totally unexpected. “Bless those who
persecute you” (Romans 12:14). People
expect retaliation but they don’t expect blessing in return. This type of love
could lead them to redemption.
3)
Extend God’s grace and love to others.
Be giving. Be gracious. Be large-hearted toward others. Don’t just go
one mile, go two. Israel was a
militarily occupied country at the time of these words. Any Jewish boy 13 years
and older was required to carry a Roman soldier’s stuff for one mile. It was said that every man knew exactly how
far one mile was. The Romans enjoyed
this requirement; the Jews endured it. Jesus is teaching the unexpected, the
unnatural. Be a second miler. When you reflect on this teaching you
discover that there is power in the second mile. The second mile changes my attitude. In the first mile – I am being
controlled. But the second mile – I am
in control! In the first mile – I am a
victim. But in the second mile – I am
the victor. The first mile is the slave
mile. The second mile is the smile mile. The first mile is the must mile. The
second mile is the miracle mile! My
attitude will stay the same if I only do what I am forced to do. My attitude changes when I go the second
mile! The second mile matures me
spiritually. I am obedient to the Lord,
not to man. Obedience always brings
about spiritual maturity. The second mile is the key to sharing our faith. Think about a Jewish man who carries a Roman
soldier’s pack a mile. Unexpectedly the Jewish man says, “Let me carry your
pack another mile for you.” Do you think
there would be a different attitude from both people? Don’t you think the
soldier would be wondering what has gotten into this Jew? Perhaps he might ask,
“Why are you doing this?” That’s an open
door to talk about Jesus.
There
is power in the second mile. It will change my attitude, mature me spiritually
and it’s the key to sharing Jesus with others.
When
you think about it, Jesus was a second miler.
“When they hurled there insults
at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he
entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body
on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his
wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you
have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of you souls” (1 Peter 2:23-25).
After
all, it’s Him we are following!
Prayer:
Jesus, help me to be more like you. Strengthen me to not take matters into my
own hands, to think about redemption instead of retaliation and to go a second
mile, just like You. AMEN!
Post a Comment