Golden Nugget: “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

Daily Verse: “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” —John 18:36

Daily Message:

When we hear of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., one of the first thoughts to cross our minds is how nonviolence was used to shift culture. These were truly radical leaders and they both rooted their work in Jesus’ words about turning the other cheek. They were fighting for something bigger than worldly power. They were pursuing justice and peace.

When Jesus was arrested, one of his disciples, Peter, tried to use force to resist and cut off someone’s ear in the process. Jesus healed the man and told Peter to put away his sword. His disciples learned (very gradually) that Jesus was representing a kingdom in which violence was not the means to victory. 

The seeds of this reality began to grow in history, and through the very unlikely means of nonviolence and persecution for doing so, God’s kingdom of justice and peace spread—and will continue spreading until Christ’s return when the world is made right again.

Consider This:

• Name a few people you’d consider peacemakers. What do they have in common?

Take Action:

Read a biography of someone who lived a sacrificial life.