One day someone said, “If your partner has never felt like slapping you, they don’t really love you.” Ei.. is slapping the new love language? If they slapped you on the cheek, would you call it a loveslap?❤👋🏽 Hmmm things we do for love…
Matthew 5:38-39
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. #Bible
This was one of the absurd verses for me when I was growing up. I didn’t understand how I would just turn the other cheek for a second slap, and I never did that either; if you slapped me as a kid, I would slap you back hw3 (unless I just couldn’t because you were bigger…).
However the Holy Spirit taught me a lesson from this verse I want to share with you briefly.
When Jesus said to turn the other cheek when you’re slapped, what He meant is that you have to forgive the person who wrongs you so well, and so true, as if nothing has happened, so that they have the avenue or opening to do it again.
I’ll take that again: you have to forgive the person who wrongs you so well, and so true, as if nothing has happened, so that they have the avenue or opening to do it again.
You’re basically telling them to…
Just like how God ‘wipes the slate clean’ and washes our robes white with Jesus’ blood when we confess our sins to Him; and after it’s as if nothing happened. As if God doesn’t learn that man will sin against Him again! Charle, it seems when we forgive others, we don’t learn from our mistakes; mercy!
You think about it, a loving forgiveness that puts you in such a place again… what do you think? (I know right, very opposite to normal opinion). Well the sixth (6th) love language I share with you is Forgiveness; and that is our loveslap!
Beloved, I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I really grasp what this love thing is about, not fully. But my pastor said yesterday, that one key to living a successful life in this decade is to forgive wholly, it will save your heart from the pain of bitterness and curses of envy. From the verses above, forgiveness comes like a loveslap, wham! It comes when it’s most painful, I tell you…
And I’m not talking about “Oh I don’t have any grudge o, I’ve forgiven him/her, but as for me I won’t have anything to do with him/her again.”
No no no no… I am talking about what Jesus spoke about: “to forgive wholly so that it’s like they have the opportunity to do it again.”
I pray the Holy Spirit to spread His love abroad in our hearts, a love that forgives as God does. May you be constantly reminded of the need to forgive others just as you pray for God’s forgiveness. “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us…”
You’re blessed and graced!
#AWGDevotional