May we all see something here. If someone wants my tunic, it is perfectly all right if I do not give it to him. It is good if I give it to him. But it is Christian if I give him my cloak as well. I think this is clear. When someone wants my tunic, why should I give it to him? I am right even if I do not give it to him. If I give it to him, that is good. I am a good man; therefore, I give it to him. However, doing the right thing is not being Christian. Being a good man does not mean that one is therefore a Christian. A Christian gives away not merely the tunic but also the cloak. A Christian is a person who gives away the second garment.
What is the Christian reaction? The Christian reaction is not doing the right things or the good things, but doing the transcendent things. The more God’s children are persecuted, cornered, and shut out, the higher they should climb. It is a pity that some stumble when they are cornered. It is unfortunate that they lose their temper and reason. It is especially unfortunate that they try to endure. A Christian is one who soars when persecution comes, when all escapes have been blocked and there is only a wall before him.
I remember a comment made about a brother who passed away many years ago: “Anyone who never made himself an enemy of this man does not know how great the love of this man was.” This is a wonderful comment. The more you persecuted him, the stronger he became. The more you mistreated him, the higher he climbed. The more you were fierce towards him, the more generous he was towards you. When he died, many brothers commented, “In order to know the strength of his love, one needed to be his greatest enemy. We did not do him enough evil. The more evil you did to him, the greater was his love for you.” This is the Christian reaction. The more you persecute a Christian and shut him up, the broader is the way before him.
Do not think that this is a very profound lesson. Matthew 5—7 contains the first sermon of the Lord Jesus. The teachings on the mountain were the first teachings the disciples heard. That is why this should be told to new believers. We should practice this from the very beginning. As long as we are Christians, we have to practice this. If we do not practice this, we will not have peace within. A Christian who reasons with people will not have peace. We may be upset and fretful when others take away our things, but we will have no peace. However, when others want our tunic and we give them our cloak also, we will shout “hallelujah” all the way home. We will feel happy. When others want to borrow some of our money, we may spare our money if we turn them down, but we will also spare our joy. If others ask us for money, we should give it to them. This is the way to live a happy Christian life.
Many Christians have sad faces all day long because they are not willing to walk the second mile. If you walk the second mile, you will be able to sing within your being.
Many brothers and sisters have problems with their reactions because they do not know the Lord. They cannot bear turning the left cheek, giving away the cloak, or walking the second mile. They keep saying, “How unreasonable are these people!” I have a frank word for these ones: This is what the Lord demands of us. A person may strike your right cheek and be satisfied. But the Lord tells you to turn your left cheek to him as well. Another may receive your tunic and be satisfied. But the Lord tells you to give him your cloak as well. Someone may compel you to walk only one mile and be satisfied. But the Lord compels you to walk the second mile. We have to realize that the left cheek, the cloak, and second mile are the Lord’s demand, not man’s demand. All those who have trouble with the second cheek, the second garment, and the second mile do not have any trouble with men, but with the Lord, for it is He who makes these demands.
You may say that man is unreasonable. But remember, it is actually the Lord who is unreasonable. If no one should strike your first cheek, then even more no one should strike your second cheek. If the demand for the first garment is unreasonable, the demand for the second garment is even more unreasonable. If the first mile is unreasonable, the second mile is even more unreasonable. But the Lord demands the second. This is the Lord’s commandment. We can say that the Lord’s commandment is more severe than that of an unreasonable man. No unreasonable man can be stricter than the Lord in His commandment.
Why is the Lord so severe? Because He knows that the life He has given us is a transcendent life. Unless this life transcends, there is no peace. This life is happy only when it transcends. The more you try to embarrass, disgrace, or hurt this life, the more its power is manifested.
This is what it means to be a Christian. It is not merely a matter of not being angry and of forbearing and enduring, but of transcending all things. Others may compel us to walk a mile, but we will walk two miles. Others may want to take one of our garments, but we will give them two. Others may want to strike our right cheek, but we will give them our left cheek also. Brothers, this life is transcendent; it soars. This is how believers react. Unless we act this way, we are not behaving like Christians.