Turn your cheek 7 times 70. Christ did not say walk away.

Think this way for a moment. If someone slaps you on the cheek you are to turn to him the other cheek. You cannot do this if you walk away. Turn your cheek requires that you stand your ground and provide the opportunity to be slapped again. And if that be the case this is truly amazing.

Matthew 18: 21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

And then in Mat. 5 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.

All of these require us to stick around and take the abuse. That one is hard to take. And we are not to go into and eye for an eye business. And we are not given any weapon with which to defend ourselves!

Or are we?

What courageous fighting words are these? Oh they are powerful indeed and they will stop many in their tracks. And they will conquer many. And they will bring others to their knees. And they will be reviled and hated by many. And they shall cause anger in others. But yet still in others tears of joy and hugs of thanksgiving.

What war will these words win? That is up to you. Will you allow them to conquer your heart and bring you relief from slavery. Will you seek peace and harmony or remained chained to fear and turmoil. Will you slap back or run and hide or put on the breastplate of love and Christ?

I choose the breastplate. Do I fail because of lack of faith? Yes. Do I backslide into doubt and self will? Do I fall like Peter in the garden with a sword? Aye, I do. But His grace is enough to pick me up and dust me off so that I may move "onward Christian soldier".

It is so easy to walk away and easy to fight as man fights. But can you stand your ground, stand fast and turn the cheek, in order to engage the enemy? We talk so much about free will that we lose sight of the fact that once adopted by Christ we are not free to do our will. Unless honor and devotion means nothing, we are bound by a contract for his love and mercy. What we must give in return is our devotion and undying love and obedience to His will no longer ours.

Do we fail? Yes. But do we get back up and confess our weakness and repent and devote ourselves to do better?

Let me be known to man by my failures to win the battles they know. Let me fall and be the least among men. Let me lose a war by standards set by man. Let me be outcast and rejected by those who would be seated at the front before other men. Let me walk last among brothers and sisters and yet know my God.

Oh Lord in the great heaven above I beg of thee to leave me with my troubles and burdens and battles to overcome. Lest I grow stagnant in love or forgetful of your grace. Place a thorn in my side to keep me awake in troubled times.

I beg you not to let me fall blind to the suffering and despair that is of man. Give me strength to extol the virtues of those with less and be cool water for those with more. Let one man rest his head upon my weighted shoulders so that in lifting him I do You honor and praise.

Give me strength of a thousand lost wars so that my humility is true and my faith not corrupt by pride. Take from me all that I have so that I am not encumbered by laying up treasure for earth.

I would like to know what you think along these lines of thought and prayer. It would help me grow.