Gandhi

Just want to share something written by Philip Yancy who had shown me what it means to 'turn to him the other [cheek] also'.

The movie Gandhi contains a fine scene in which Gandhi tries to explain his philosophy to the Presbyterian missionary Charlie Andrews.

Walking together in a South African city, the two suddenly find their way blocked by young thugs. The Reverend Andrew takes one look at the menacing gangsters and decide to run for it. Gandhi stops him.

"Doesn't the New Testament say if an enemy strikes you on the right cheek you should offer him the left?" Andrew mumbles that the thought of the phrase was used metaphorically. "i'm not so sure,"Gandhi replies.

"I suspect he meant you must show courage - be willing to take a blow, several blows, to show you will not strike back nor will you be turned aside. And when you do that it calls on something in human nature, something that makes his hatred decrease and his respect increase. I think Christ grasped that and I have seen it work."

- Philip Yancy, The Jesus I Never Knew.

You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

- Matthew 5:38-39