Turn The Other Cheek

RESIST NOT EVIL

The Greatest Metaphysical Secret

To the world – those who do not understand – it sounds like moral suicide, the feeblest surrender to aggression; but it is superb spiritual strategy. Antagonize any situation, and you give it power against yourself; offer mental nonresistance, and it crumbles in front of you.

WHAT YOU RESIST, PERSISTS


TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

This is a mental practice, not a physical action. This refers to changing of one's thought when faced with error, changing from the error to the Truth – and , as a rule, it acts like magic.


It will sometimes happen that you will find yourself in company where the conversation is very negative, sickness and trouble being described and dwelt upon at great length, or perhaps uncharitable statements made concerning absent people. For various reasons it may be difficult for you to withdraw, and if so your duty is clear – you must mentally “turn the other cheek” and thus help both the speakers and their victims.

YOUR OWN CONCEPT IS WHAT YOU SEE

If, when someone is behaving badly, instead of thinking of the trouble, you will immediately switch your attention off from the human to the Divine, and concentrate upon the Real Spiritual Self of the person in question, you will find – if you really do this – that his conduct will immediately change.


THE SECRET OF HANDLING DIFFICULT PEOPLE

Remember, they are not doing it to you...they are just doing it.

If people are troublesome, you have only to change your thought about them, and then they will change too, because your own concept is what you see. This is the true revenge. It has been tried thousands and thousands, perhaps millions of times, and it never fails when properly carried out. It is often quite amusing to see it acting like clockwork. If somebody comes into the room at home, or into the office or shop, or anywhere else, looking as if he meant to make trouble, just try switching you attention straight off to the Divine, instead of sparring up aggressively to meet the difficulty or shrinking away to avoid it, according to your temperament. You will be amused and gratified to see the anger fade away from the subject's face (which will mean it has faded from his hear too and quite different expression take its place. You may find it helpful in the beginning to glance away from him while giving yourself this “treatment,” but with a little practice you will be able, so to speak, to look through him to the Truth of Being (the same spark of consciousness that is in you is in them and is in the God of your understanding).


PRAYER AND AN OPEN MIND

When you find yourself in difficulties, you should pray for harmony and freedom, and expect to get it; but you should not seek to select the exact arrangement that will come about, or the course that things will take.


*** Emmet Fox - The Sermon On The Mount - Chapter 4

Paraphrased for my own personal understanding and practical use. Take what you like and leave the rest.