The law is a powerful tool. By law, I am speaking of God’s law. It is a law that demands justice and must be paid. This law does not offer grace; it cannot give reprieve. Only God can give grace and provide mercy. Here is where Jesus begins to go beyond just teaching how God’s law is more than justice. It is our only guide to Him. It shows us how far we are from God’s design for us. The problem is that it cannot return us to God’s design.
The law is extreme in justice. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. You cut my hand off and the law demands that you lose your hand. Brutal sounding but sin never does play nice. The law reveals sin and designs a punishment; then it sets a course for us to seek God. God forgives and shows mercy, and so can we through Christ.
Jesus tells us that showing mercy starts with us. It starts in how we react to those who wish us harm or need our help. Does resistance to evil manners get us anywhere? Kind of like watching my kids react to each other. They react instead of solving the potential problem. They will protect their territory at all costs. “He started it.” “No, she did!” “He is always messing with my stuff.” “Well, she is always messing with mine!” My hope as a father is to show them how to react with more mercy and less revenge.
Jesus is doing the same thing. We do not gain anything without first showing grace and mercy – the very same grace and mercy shown to us everyday. The best defense starts with a good offense. What happens when someone hits you? Reacting as we always do, we will either cower from a learned response or present a defensive stance.
During the days of Jesus, the Romans were violent in their rule. Show a defensive stance and you would not have to show them the other cheek. Our reaction has to become a learned response. Responding with peace is not natural. Being taken to court is not a pleasant experience, but what happens if you try to right a wrong by going above and beyond what was expected of you in judgment? Even more, what happens if you do this before a person even gets you into court?
I had a customer once who did not read the shipping details. This person wanted overnight delivery but because she purchased after the time needed to get an overnigh, the delivery did not arrive until one day later. She wanted to take me to the cleaners. She wanted me to give her 50% of the money she paid back. I could have told her to get lost. Instead, I listened to her, and I decided to do one better. I gave her $150. That was the full price. It not only cost me the full price but fees also. She left a very favorable review.
I am not saying we will always have to give our coat, but we should always offer it. Going the extra mile is not just a cliché. Being Christ-like means being what people do not expect. There are too many “Christians” living out the expectations of those who do not know Jesus and those who are determined to deny Him. Jesus doesn’t want us to live as people who have faith in religion. He wants us to have faith in grace!
Just think how you may react the next time a person comes and asks to “borrow” some money. Will you give it without strings and without expecting it back? Will your generosity grow to match the way you feel in the midst of God’s generous gift of grace? Will you learn not to turn away from others who are in need? How loosely do you hold on to your possessions?
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