Turning the Other Cheek

Recently I read a book by David Platt. In his book he mentioned meeting a Christian from the Batak tribe of northern Sumatra in Indonesia. The fellow told the author the story of how his tribe had come to know Christ. Years earlier a missionary couple had come to his village to share the gospel. The tribe was 100 percent Muslim. The tribal leaders captured this missionary couple, then murdered and cannibalized them.

Years later another missionary came to their tribe and again began sharing the gospel. The tribal leaders recognized that the story he told was exactly what the former couple had shared. This time they decided to listen. After they listened, they believed. Within a short time, the entire tribe was converted to Christ. The believer told the author that today there are more than three million Christians among the Batak tribe of northern Sumatra.

When the author first heard this story he said he immediately had questions: Would he be willing for him and his wife to be that first missionary couple? Would he be willing to be killed and cannibalized so that those who come after him would see people come to Christ?

Five Evangelical Christian missionaries from the United States attempted to bring the gospel to the Huaorani people of the rainforest of Ecuador. The Huaorani, were an isolated tribe known for their violence, against both their own people and outsiders who entered their territory. With the intention of being the first Christians to evangelize the previously uncontacted Huaorani, the missionaries began making regular flights over Huaorani settlements in September 1955, dropping gifts. After several months of exchanging gifts, on January 3, 1956, the missionaries established a camp close to the settlements. Their efforts came to an end on January 8, 1956, when all five—were attacked and speared by a group of Huaorani warriors. The news of their deaths was broadcast around the world, and Life magazine covered the event with a photo essay.

The missionaries left letters to their families explaining why the missionaries had decided not to defend themselves. They reasoned they were read to die but the members of the tribe were not.

The story is much longer but the question is the same. Would I be willing to be killed and cannibalized so that those who come after me would see people come to Christ?

For many years I was a registered official in various soccer leagues and clubs in Ohio. Each year we would meet with to review the laws of soccer and any changes that had been made and were told what the laws meant. The laws said one thing but we were told they meant something else and that was how we were to enforce them. We have a tendency to do the same thing with the Bible.

On the subject of "turning the other cheek" what would Jesus do if he walked in on a robbery? What would Jesus do if someone struck him? What would Jesus do if his life was threatened? What does Jesus do when his followers die doing his bidding? What does Jesus expect of us? Would we deny Christ to save our families? Do we love our families more than we love Jesus?