11.16.23 - Matthew 5:38-39
Name to yourself or someone else one way you want to embody mercy today.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other as well.
This passage in Matthew reminds me of my days in customer service. If you've worked any kind of service job, you'll know what I'm talking about.
On a regular basis, you can expect to encounter folks who are having a bad day and are intent on taking it out on you. My favorite strategy for navigating these types of encounters was to simply listen.
When someone berates you over the phone for three solid minutes, they start to lose steam when you don't fight back. The tug-o-war they expected becomes one-sided and then they're left holding the rope in a game that nobody else is playing.
It feels like Jesus is advising us to do something similar -- when you've been struck (metaphorically), instead of fighting back, invite them to try another swing. After a couple of punches, if nobody is fighting back, it's just exercise at that point.
More often than we realize, the upper hand comes from mercy.
Name to yourself or someone else one way you want to embody mercy today.
--Katelin Champion