Retaliation Facts for 3-8 Year Olds

Categories: Sermon on the Mount

• After being filled up by the beatitudes, the disciples are given “commands.”
• One of them has to do with retaliation.
• This is about us.
• Jesus starts, “You have heard that it was said, ‘an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’”
• In the Old Testament, the law “an eye for an eye” was a big step forward. It said that the punishment must fit the crime.
• But Jesus says, “I tell you, do not resist an evil person.”
• The word “resist” means, “against and stand.”
• So “resist not” means “don’t get even.” Don’t try to get even with the people who may hurt you.

Then, he gives four very interesting examples.

• Number 1 is: “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
  
  
  • Right handed people usually slap across the left cheek.
  • This specifically says “right cheek.” So to slap someone on the right cheek, means the slapper has given you a back-handed slap, which is an insult.
  • Jesus is saying, “Let them. Don’t get even.” It takes a really big person to not want to get even. So we don’t take offense.
• Number 2 is: “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.”
  
  
  • Jesus knows that many people only owned two things in the entire world, literally, the clothes on their backs.
  • So he is talking about stuff that people own. We are not to care about our things more than we care about others. Don’t fight about possessions.
• Number 3 is: “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
  
  
  • Any Roman soldier had the right to make any subject carry his baggage for a mile at a time.
  • The Jews really didn’t like this.
  • Jesus is saying, “Give the first mile to Caesar, and the second one to God.”
  • Going the extra mile is going beyond fairness to help work things out with others.
• Number 4 is: “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
  
  
  • This doesn’t mean to give without thinking. People may ask for things that aren’t good for them.
  • The Spirit will help us to understand what is being asked.
• What is common among all of these examples is that they involve us personally.
• We’re not being asked to stand by while others get hurt.  This is really about us and our reactions. 
• And more importantly, if these things ever happens, we should run right back to the beatitudes and God’s promises. 
• His blessings filled us up, so we can handle incidents like these.