TURN THE OTHER CHEEK: FOR YOUR IMAGE

Turn the Other Cheek: For Your Image

An eye for an eye! If we lived by this motto the entire world would be eyeless and blind. Sometimes we have to be like Martin and turn the other cheek. Sometimes we have to be like Malcolm and fight back. The key is to know when and where to do which.

When Jesus was arrested, Peter cut off the ear of Malchus. Jesus’ scolded Peter for that was the inappropriate reaction to the situation. Jesus knew what is destiny was and knew that the time had come for him to be arrested for it was almost time for him to die. In this situation, I believe Peter’s natural reaction was to protect his savior and his instinct kicked in. There are definitely times when instincts have saved lives, maybe even your own. However, there are times when reacting out of an emotional state does not end well.

With that said, I know I am not the only person that has dealt with someone that pushed their buttons to the point that you wanted to cuss them out, maybe even lay hands on them. Like myself there may have been times when you did just that. Was it justifiable, maybe in your mind for the moment, but was it worth it?

Ironically, I wrote this last night and this morning Bill Winston spoke on how he was trying to slow down on fussing. He said that when we fuss, cuss, and let people take us out of character, we are tarnishing our image. Things that make you go hmmm. You are filled with the spirit, faith filled, positive, loving all of that. However someone ticks you off in the grocery store and you give them a piece of your mind. What image are you displaying to those around you? Are they seeing Yahweh and Jesus or are they seeing the enemy/devil?

I never thought about my image when I choose to cuss someone out, tell them off, or give them a piece of my mind. If I am supposed to be the salt of the earth and let my light shine, in those moments I am actually being the darkness. How then can I turn around and try and tell that same person the goodness of Yahweh. Keep in mind yes we are not perfect and are works in progress but there comes a point when that is simply an excuse or crutch used to justify ungodly behavior.

I learned that demons have studied us since our birth. They know what gets to us, what grinds our gears, what will send us over the edge and they use people to take us there. We have to remember it is not the person that we are fighting against; we are only to fight the good fight of faith. We are dealing with spiritual forces and principalities. At the time though all we see is a flesh and bone spiritual being and we won’t to go off on them, when really it’s not them but the demon inside of them. As is the demon in us that is making us cuss, fuss, and go off!

I don’t know if you noticed but often times it’s the same person that pushes your buttons. Or there may be a few people that no matter what kind of state you are in they can take you out of it. Well, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. So if every time a particular person or people tick you off you go off on them, you are only perpetuating negative energy and simply you are insane. There comes a time when you can no longer blame the other person. We only have control over ourselves and our reactions.

Only love conquers hate, only good conquers evil, only light can separate darkness. You cannot fight fire with fire unless you are willing to get burned in the process as well. "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11 Often times it’s not what you say but how you say it and your word choice that cause the negative response you receive. To be real sometimes you say things in a manner to invoke a negative response from the other person.

So what am I saying, in most, no in the majority instances you must learn to turn the other cheek. However, if you feel that you must defend or speak up for you ask yourself if your words are being used to edify and build or tear down. Why? Because we are going to have to answer to Yahweh for every idle word that we have spoken, EVERY! (Matthew 12:36)

The power of life and death lies in the tongue so be aware and careful what you say to and about others for you don’t know what they are prayers are, while speaking ill of them you may just be cursing yourself!

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials