Yield

Luke 6:29 (NLT)

If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also.

None of us would yield either to God or our enemies. We are just not born that way. The way of the world and the flesh is an eye for an eye. Thirst for revenge is innate in us. We are seen as weak, inept, and impotent if we yield and don't hit back. But to enter God's Presence, we have to be exactly like Christ, who offered His back to those who beat Him and was willingly murdered (Isaiah 50:6). To deny ourselves to follow Christ requires us to yield to the Lord anytime He calls us.

However, this call to yield to Christ is not a call to pacifism. Christ did not always turn the other cheek or allow Himself to be insulted. Many times He hid from the Pharisees who tried to murder Him (John 8:59). Often, He retaliated against the Pharisees (Matthew 23) and frequently rebuked common folk (Like 24:25). When God's honor was tarnished, He beat the violators brutally (John 2:15). There were times when Christ did not suppress His wrath as the Pharisees expected Him to (Ephesians 4:29). But this doesn't mean that He was given to coarse talking as even the Prophet Isaiah was prone to (Isaiah 6:5).

We are born with a sinful nature. We can't yield to God without the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit. However, this yielding is not a call to pacifism. Self-flagellation for not being submissive enough may only lead to narcissism and not holiness. In short, God decides when we should yield and when we should retaliate.

Have a good week, everybody:).