Turn the other cheek as an act of defiance. When we analyise the teaching Jesus gives on turning the other cheek, in its original language it becomes clear that Jesus is saying to make your oppressor know you are not afraid. To turn the other cheek you steal his power to backhand you. You’re asking him to punch you as an equal, as a real threat, closed fisted. Your saying in essence, I’m not below you, I’m your peer, your brother, your mother, and so on. This action invites an oppressor recognize you as an equal. You’re forcing him to not look down on you, but at you. The brave act can deliver a violent oppressor from their ignorant understanding and free them in a moment. Turning the other cheek is an act to liberate the oppressor from their violence, ignorance and an invitation to break the cycle.

This invitation from Jesus comes with a heavy price tag; our suffering can lead to free others from violent oppression! If we have not practiced taking our ego lightly we will fail in this teaching. If we are not willing to suffer to set others free we will not have what it takes to practice this. We must first recognize our pride and be able to laugh at it within us. We must realize life is not about us, but that we are about life as followers of Jesus. We must see those who are controlled by violence as victims of a systematic virus, blind and desperate for redemption. This teaching is a hard one, but who else has the words of life?! We are invited into a radical worldview by Jesus.