For a battered woman desperately looking for help, removing herself and any other victims from the situation is often the wisest course of action. Not only does she strengthen her agency, but it may also be the most loving response she could have toward her abuser. By separating him from the targets of his abuse, she may hinder him from continuing in behavior that is destructive to both himself and others.
We can also extend the principle of turning the other cheek to situations where people around us experience harm. When Jesus encounters injustice in the temple, he overturns the tables of the money changers and calls them back to God’s aim for the temple to be a “house of prayer” for all people. (23) Although Jesus’ actions are intense, they’re not harmful or vindictive. By confronting the money changers’ injustice, he invites them to reconsider their behavior.
When we see people who are mistreated, it’s tempting to either fight the perpetrator or avoid the situation. But the principle of turning the other cheek leads us to stand in solidarity with victims by exposing injustice or confronting an oppressor.
Whether submitting, withdrawing, or confronting, Jesus always sets the terms of the encounter. And he always acts in love for the good of others, even his enemies. “Love implies resistance to injustice by using nonviolent methods,” says theologian Naim Ateek. “It is done not out of hate or in order to crush or destroy the enemy, but in order to force the perpetrators of injustice to undo what is wrong and commit themselves to doing what is just and right.” (24)
Ultimately, the Bible looks forward to a day when “violence will not be heard again,” (25) and no one will do “evil or harm,” (26) as God renews his original intention for people to live forever in a world where everyone acts for the highest good of the other. (27) That’s the way of God’s Kingdom. And Jesus says this Kingdom is at hand—starting now. The renewal is not complete, but it is already underway, and we can enter and experience it today, every day.
Although not everyone will treat us with the love and dignity God desires, we can choose to embody God’s Kingdom by turning the other cheek when people seek to harm us. With creativity and wisdom, we can discern how to carry out this vision in any situation. (28) And we don’t need to be anxious about finding the one “right” response. By paying attention to Jesus’ life, we can train our imaginations to envision creative, more effective responses to each new challenge. When we choose to resist evil through acts of love, instead of perpetuating cycles of harm, we become signposts to the new creation where justice and peace reign.
