Not Your Duty

The younger-me was on my high school's track team; not the fastest runner, I ran endurance races including the 880 (half-mile). I remember those days but the memory mostly makes me want to catch my breath! Jesus said, "I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also." (Matthew 5:39, NKJV). The very idea of such a humiliating response seems absurd by most standards. Oswald Chambers reminds us to refuse such an act of humiliation, "you cannot imitate the nature of Jesus." As good, responsible citizens of our communities, we determine to do what is our duty. Jesus, however, commands us to do that which is ... not our duty! I dare say all of us have suffered some form of injustice, mistreatment and cruelty. Instinctively, we want to defend our honor yet [in reality] it is "the Lord's honor that is at stake" (Chambers). The last part of that endurance race was brutal - breath laborious; oh, how many times I just wanted to stop to catch my breath - much like life. Those slaps are often rough and unexpected. Albeit, "let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). Let's face it: this is a slap-happy world. Like Jesus, with grace and humility, let us do that which is ... not our duty!