"But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

Imagine you're building a house, and someone walks up and tells you that the foundation you've poured is worthless. If you don't know anything about construction, those words might shake you. You might start doubting everything. But if you're an experienced builder who knows that foundation was poured to exact specifications, inspected, and approved, then those words have no power over you. The foundation doesn't change because someone insults it. Your knowledge of what's true makes you immune to the lie.

This is what Jesus is teaching us about insults.
In the first century, a slap with the right hand meant a backhand. This wasn't about physical violence or even physical pain. This was about shame. This was about social degradation wrapped in a gesture. When a master backhanded a slave, or when a ruler backhanded a subject, the message was clear: "You are beneath me. You are unworthy. You don't matter."

The backhand was an attempt to cancel identity.

But here's what Jesus understood that His listeners needed to grasp: you cannot lose what you truly possess. If your identity comes from your social status, then yes, a backhand can destroy you. If your worth comes from how others see you, then an insult can devastate you. But if your identity is rooted in who God says you are, then no insult can touch it.

Jesus says turn the other cheek. This is not passive submission. This is not weakness. This is the most powerful statement you can make. When you turn the other cheek, you're saying, "You cannot define me. Your opinion of me is not my identity. Strike again if you want, because what you're trying to take from me was never mine to lose in that way."

Look at how Jesus lived this out. People insulted Him in ways specifically designed to strip away His sonship. They mocked Him. They questioned His legitimacy. They called Him names meant to cancel His identity. But here's what's incredible: He remained the Son of God. Not because He defended Himself. Not because He struck back. But because His identity wasn't up for vote.

Right now, in your life, there are people who will try to define you by their words. A boss who demeans you. A family member who belittles you. A friend who betrays you with gossip. Someone online who attacks your character. And in those moments, you have a choice. You can defend yourself and prove that their words have power over you. Or you can turn the other cheek and prove that your identity is secure in Christ.

When a farmer plants a seed, he doesn't dig it up every day to check if it's growing just because someone says it won't. He knows what he planted. He trusts the process. He lets the seed do what seeds do. Your identity in Christ is like that seed. It's already planted. It's already secure. Insults are just noise from people who don't know what's growing beneath the surface.

Tomorrow we'll explore what happens when you face real injustice, the kind where people try to take what's rightfully yours, and how giving away even more reveals something they can never take.

Write down three truths about who you are in Christ (examples: I am chosen, I am forgiven, I am a child of God). Put this somewhere you'll see it daily. The next time someone's words attempt to redefine you, read these truths out loud. Let your response be rooted in what God says, not what they say.