Finally, we need to pay attention to two things concerning this life’s reaction. First, we have to pray every day. We have to ask the Lord to deliver us from temptations and from the evil one. We have to pray every day to be delivered from temptations. Humanly speaking, it is impossible to live on earth according to the principles spoken of above. The reactions required by the Lord are impossible to find on earth. You will exhaust all you have after trying to live this way a few times. This is why the Lord inserts a prayer in the teachings on the mount. It is a prayer that prays for deliverance from temptations and from the evil one. We can live in this world only with the Lord’s protection. Without His protection, we cannot go on even for a single day. This prayer is indispensable. If we have no intention to live this kind of life or have this kind of reaction, nothing more needs to be said. But as soon as we want to live by God’s life, we have to pray this prayer. We even have to pray this prayer every day.
Do not share this principle of the Christian life with the unbelievers. Do not share this principle of the Christian life with nominal Christians. This is what Matthew 7 tells us. Do not give spiritual things to dogs, and do not throw pearls before swine. Dogs and swine are unclean. Dogs signify everything evil and unclean, and swine signify nominal Christians who are void of life. Outwardly, they have split hooves, but inwardly they do not chew the cud. Outwardly, they are Christians, but inwardly they are not. Do not tell them these words. If you do, you are asking for trouble. If you say this, they may say, “Turn your cheek. Let me try this on you.” Telling them such things is to ask for trouble for yourself. Pay attention to this. You should pray so that you can be spared such trouble.
Second, we have to maintain our Christian standing. We should not seek trouble for ourselves. However, with God’s permission and under His sovereignty and the Holy Spirit’s administration, we may face such situations, either at the hand of believers or unbelievers. At such times we should have the proper reactions and not retreat.
The Christian life is a wonderful life. The more you are persecuted, embarrassed, and unreasonably treated, the happier you are before God. This is the only way to happiness. If I hit a brother today, and he immediately turned his right cheek, I would be uncomfortable for a whole month; that would be the most unhappy thing for me.
For as long as a Christian lives on earth, he cannot take advantage of anyone. If you take advantage of something or someone once, you will not be able to lift up your head for a whole month before the Lord. Any gain on earth is loss in reality. It is better to let others strike you. When others strike you, you can go home and sleep well, eat well, and sing well. You can climb up the hill, and the moon will shine brighter upon your face. Do not think that you have gained something by taking advantage. The only way to take the right course is to react the right way, and the only way to live according to proper principles is to have the right reactions.