Some who are ignorant of the Bible think that the teachings on the mountain in Matthew 5—7 have to do with the law. Is this law? No! This is grace. The law is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. What is grace? Grace is to give to others what they do not deserve. In fact, the first cheek, the first garment, and the first mile are grace. All these are what others do not deserve. But because the life in us transcends all things, none of these things can touch us. This is why we allow others to strike our right cheek and then turn the left cheek to them. This is why we can give to others not just the tunic, but the cloak as well. This is why we can walk not just one mile, but two. This is grace upon grace. But this is not God’s grace; this is the grace of God’s children. This is what God’s children do when they act according to the God of grace. God gives men what they do not deserve. We also can give men what they do not deserve, even more than what they do not deserve.
Why do we have to do this? Let me tell you: The teaching on the mountain was given to enlarge our capacity. God increases our measure through our reactions. Many things are too dear to us. As soon as we live out the teaching on the mountain, God strips these things from us. The tunic and the cloak are taken away again and again. But this enlarges us again and again. We will be enlarged many times more than our capacity for the cloak or the tunic.
Many Christians are the same size as the garments they wear; they are very small. They can be affected by one little garment. One garment alone is worth their wrath and the sacrifice of their Christian propriety. Everywhere we go, we find these “small” people.
Christians can be large. But, even more, they can be enlarged, because God has given them a large life. If you can let go of one garment, you can let go of one hundred garments. If you can yield to someone’s demand for one mile, you can yield to his demand for two miles. If you do this, you will be enlarged by God.
It is a big thing to save one’s face. Many people cannot bear humiliation and disgrace. They can give away all their garments, but they cannot be struck or disgraced. It is hard for them to take insulting words from others. But here is one who is struck in the face. He not only endures but also takes it willingly, gladly, and happily. As soon as we turn our left cheek to others, we are enlarged. We are enlarged through all of our unreasonable experiences.
Suppose you have a strong will. If you are oppressed and persecuted and you accept oppression and persecution willingly, even walking the second mile, you will be enlarged as time goes on.
In the past years, I have met many “small” people in this world. I have not met too many “big” people in the church either. I hope that the new believers will take this way from the very beginning. Take God’s life and react in a transcendent way. This is the basic condition for maturity. If you continually react according to God’s transcendent life, you will be enlarged more and more. No material thing will bind you. No despising or disgrace will limit you. Even your own strong will will not hold you down. You will grow continuously. If we do not practice this, the church will be filled with “small” people.
I am not saying that walking the second mile is enough. Walking the second mile is a principle. That principle involves being transcendent. The left cheek is also a principle that involves being transcendent.
What does it mean to be transcendent? To transcend means to be on top. Suppose someone strikes your right cheek. If you try to remember Matthew 5 and say, “I am determined to let him strike. If he wants my tunic, I will give him my tunic reluctantly. If he forces me to walk one mile, I will force myself to accompany him two miles.” This kind of behavior is useless. This is not transcending. You have not climbed high enough. Who can give their other cheek? It is those who, when insulted, realize that they have received a rich life from the Lord. This is why they can turn their left cheek to others when they are struck on the right cheek. Others may force them to walk a mile. But the life they have received from the Lord is so abundant that they can go a second mile. Christians are never reluctant people, and the Christian reaction never just meets the minimum requirement.
A sister once said, “I almost lost my temper!” She sounded very victorious when she said this. But this is not a Christian reaction. A Christian reaction does much more than what is needed; it stands the challenges well. This is the meaning of the second mile. Have you seen this? Some people are extremely unkind to you; that is the “right cheek.” If you can return kindness to them and still be victorious before God, that is the “left cheek.” The “left cheek” speaks of abundance. It denotes surplus. The Christian victory is not a meager victory. The Christian victory is an overflowing victory. Christians should always have a surplus; they should always transcend their experience. Christian victory never comes by force; it is never achieved by gritting one’s teeth or arguing. Christian victory is always easy to come by. May the Lord enlarge us again and again, and may we express the grace of God’s children again and again.