2:197 – But She Did It First!

#faithbites #faithjourney first

“Dad, sissy hit me.” Why did she hit you? Then from across the room, “She hit me first, daddy”.

Have you had this situation or similar? They did something bad to you, so you did it back to them? Or the response from many parents “If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump?

We see this in peer pressure. It’s on our national news. It seems that the expected response to an attack on you or your character is to attack back. What if we didn’t attack back but showed love? What if we “killed them with kindness instead”? Sure we can have a debate and have differences but that’s a different story than attacking one another.

Scripture

• “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’^[But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well . – Matthew 5:38-40
• Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. – 1 Thessalonians 5:15
• Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. ⁹ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech. – 1 Peter 3:8-10

Reflection

We have all heard turn the other cheek. It’s to an easy thing to do. But when we did deeper we see in multiple places do not pay back evil with evil or wrong for wrong. Rather we should be compassionate and humble. We should repay evil with a blessing (kill em with kindness.) And it doesn’t matter who did it first. Bad behavior is bad behavior.

There are times when we need to take a stand against a person’s behavior or ideology. There are ways to do it without personal attacks and with love in your heart. Don’t get me wrong, I mess this up all the time. There are times when my girls are fighting when I just want them both to shut up and knock it off. When I have to struggle for any bit of kindness. And like so many of you, I can get riled up by the news and politics. Sometimes, I think how stupid is that person. Why can’t they see the truth? But then I realize that isn’t being kind. I need to try to turn the other cheek get to the bottom of us.

The good thing, when we mess up, which we all will, we can ask for forgiveness. The Lord will truly grant it.

Charge

Have you been wronged lately? Do you want to repay that wrong with a wrong? Think about what would happen if you turned the other cheek? What reaction would you get? How would they respond to you? How would you feel? It’s not as satisfying to turn the other cheek in the short run, but you aren’t giving them the response they want. Follow our Lord’s examples.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, our country’s leadership is a hot mess right now. Many of our role models are shoddy and don’t exemplify your teachings. Help us to show kindness in all situations. Be with us when we fail and help us to regain composure and be more like you. We need your love and guidance as a country and as individuals. Please help us. In your name, Amen.