Number Twenty Three: Turn the Other Cheek

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. Matthew 5:38:45

I completely agree, as I've said before, that it is a good thing to give people the benefit of the doubt. However, there is a line -- or there at least should be -- drawn on this subject. Whether you believe in God or not...there is no sense in being a doormat or a martyr...and no one has asked you to.

A friend asked me the other night what my pet peeves were and it took me a while, but I came up with one...a BIG one.

I can't stand when people let others treat them like shit, and then blame it on God.

Oh, I guess it's just my lot in life to do....
It's much better if I just let my coworker continue to...
I should just let it go...
It's ok, I'm used to it...

Guess what? You don't NOT get bonus points for being miserable. The more hideous of a situation you can stay in is NOT going to get you a golden ticket. So doing everything just to please people...taking it all on to show how much you can do...shallowly humbling yourself, offering to handle whatever situation with a "poor me, I'll be alright..." isn't doing you any good, because you have not been asked to do these things. Good grief.

Get down off the cross honey. Somebody could use the wood.

Yes, maybe it's best to turn the other cheek. But NOWHERE in the bible does it say...and then turn it again, now again, now just one more time, wow that's getting chapped, well go ahead and keep taking it, ouch that's gotta hurt, can't be much longer now...

No. It says turn the other cheek -- once.

Even when you try your best to do your best, and be the best that you can be, sometimes, you're gonna take a hit. That's ok. It happens. Let it go -- once.

But no one, I mean no one, should let somebody else treat them like crap. You don't deserve it. You weren't meant to live that kind of life. And you can't use God as an excuse for being unhappy. Sorry. It doesn't work that way.

Keep your chin up. Strengthen your backbone and grow a pair. Learn the art of being assertive. You set the boundaries of how you will be treated. Where are your lines drawn? If someone is stepping over them, get them back in their place. If you don't have boundaries, people ARE going to walk all over you, simply because they can. You might as well just haul out the welcome mat.

It's ok to let people know how you want to be treated. If they don't like it, then move on. But if you are willing to give up your own happiness just so you don't have to ask/tell/demand to be treated like a decent human being...well then, you deserve whatever you get.

And if you're just doing it for attention -- seriously -- people can tell. So stop it.