The reaction matters

Matthew 5:39 But I say, do not resist an evil person!  If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.

Now this is what I am talking about.  A verse like this gets me all excited cause it completely slams the human's natural sinful reaction. 
   As a child and teenager, a youth pastor and now pastor, I have heard through the years all to often of the kids that say "my daddy/momma told me if someone hits me and I don't hit em back then I will be in trouble when I get home."  The other statements I hear are from parents, "well I don't want my kid getting pushed around, I want him/her to stand up for themself."  I realize the statements sound right, and people think they are right but the truth is they are wrong.

   I can say from my 31 years of life, there are 2 very real truths:
1. Look for trouble and you will find trouble. In other words if you are always running your mouth and feel the need to have the last word, then sooner or later somebody is going to punch you in the face.
2. If you don't start trouble, then 99% there will be no trouble.  In other words, if you would learn to not be cocky and shut your mouth every now and then, then you will find yourself with more and better friends.

Now with that in mind, lets examine something.  According to the scripture. the person who is doing the hitting is evil in the eyes of God.  And no matter from the nice guy who had a bad day to the serial killer who may kill my very own child, my job and God's expectation of me is to forgive the person and love them regardless.  Now yes the government is set up to protect us, and it is the government's job to put the people who do crimes in jail, but my job is to love them and forgive them.  This is hard to do, I know of only one man so far other than Jesus who has forgiven someone no matter what.  A man named Richard Coss had grandchildren in Oklahoma City when Timothy McVeigh blew up the building known as the Oklahoma City bombing.  Richard after some time went and talked to McVeigh face to face and told him that he was forgiven, and proceded to share the message of Jesus Christ to him.  What a freedom it is to not have bitterness.
    The other fact in the scripture is that if the person who throws the first punch is evil, then the person who responds with a punch is in the same category.  So for parents who encourage their child to not get pushed around and to hit back, you my friend are training your child to be evil.  I believe any parent has a sincere desire to not want to train their child to be evil.  For the person who encourages their friend to fight back and get mad, you are also in the evil category.
     I believe majority of adults do not want to be evil, but it is our human natures.  Simply because of our birth as sinners we are actually born evil.  At any moment in this life though, we can ask for God's forgiveness and be free of this guilt and evilness.  Ultimately our sins are the nails that were hammered in Jesus's hands and feet.  My and your sins are the ultimate slap of death to Jesus, and yet to all who are willing to receive the forgiveness, He will turn the other cheek and love you while doing so. 

                                                                   Timothy McVeigh

I would have let this kid hang out around my house, I would probably have went fishing and hunting with this guy.  He looked harmless, but looks don't matter when a person does not know the love and forgivness of Jesus.  Live life like Jesus is walking beside you, share Him with others, you never know how many people's lives will be affected because you do.

I bet alot of people thought he was harmless, the right friends could have been the right example to him and possibly saved alot of people from a very sad day.  The truth is any of your friends have the potential to be the next rapest, murderer, molestor, will you tell them about the love of Jesus?  Will you live it out, so they can see the love of Jesus?  Will you turn the other cheek, and teach your children and friends to do the same thing?   From what I see everybody just wants to be really loved.  People want a love so great that gives them purpose and give them significance.  The only problem is apart from accepting the love of Jesus there is no other perfect love that last and fulfills in this entire world.