Bible Study

As Wendy searches for direction and answers to her family problems, she continues to explore Christianity and often asks me interesting questions. Today's truly challenged me, and left me stumbling for quite a while before I came to what I believe was a good answer.

She asked about my Bible Study, and questioned the book we used. It turns out she was looking for a book to explain what the Bible says - and I explained that there are more books than she could count trying to explain what the Bible says. I asked her which part she's confused about, and she said that she'd been reading the gospels. She reached the part where Jesus says to turn the other cheek. Specifically, "But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

Remember that Wendy's husband is beating her, and Dave and I continue to tell her that this is not okay. So, she asked a very sensible question - but one which never would have occurred to me. So, the Bible says it is okay for my husband to hit me? I should allow him to do it?

I don't know what I said for quite a while - something nonsensical, I imagine. She continued to ask questions, and I realized how difficult it was to explain. In fact, I began to realize what a radical concept this is. In the Judeo-Christian culture of America, turning the other cheek is entirely accepted and very rarely acted out. In China, turning the other cheek is an unknown concept.

Here's what we eventually came to:

When two people fight, maybe someone will hit the other one. But maybe no one will hit the other person. And maybe one will say, "Go ahead and hit me." And then the other person does not want to. At this, the scenario began to resonate with Wendy.

This is not the same, because Jesus asks us to speak with humility and peace, as clearly opposed to taunting. But I believe that the spirit is the same. If Wendy allows her husband to hit her, she is weak. If Wendy stands tall as her husband hits her, does not fight back, and says to him that he can hit her as much as he likes; then she is being strong. She is stating that she is strong, and that he can not hurt her. That her God is bigger than his cruelty.

And isn't this exactly what Jesus showed? He peacefully and humbly allowed people to hurt Him, and to kill Him. And through all of this, He could have said - My God is greater than this, and you can not hurt me. And although they killed Him, He returned.