by Bobby Valentine

In latter part of the 19^th century, it was a custom for preachers to open up the floor for comments after they had spoken. Questions could be fielded and clarification sought. Communication was thought to be enhanced.

Such a procedure came with a risk however. There was always the possibility that some person might take advantage of the situation to sound off, take the preacher to task, or push some pet agenda. These facts of risk are likely why the tradition was put to bed.

At the end of one of his sermons, the memorable T. B. Larimore opened the floor for discussion. An angry man jumped to his feet and railed at him on some point in his lesson. He stood and spoke for over a quarter of an hour!

If you had been in Larimore’s place, what might you have done? Knowing how defensive all of us can be, we might have been tempted to respond point for point and try to turn the argument on him. Most of us would not have allowed him to keep the floor for 20 minutes. At the least, we might have responded with “righteous indignation” about such callous behavior.

When the diatribe ended, Larimore spoke. “Thank you, sir,” he said. “Does anyone else have something you would like to say?” When no one in the stunned audience offered anything else, he turned back to the gentleman who had maligned him and said, “Sir, would you lead us now in a closing prayer?”

It calls for tremendous self-control … Spirit-control … to take abusive treatment from another without responding in kind. Since self-control is a feature of the fruit of the Spirit, our general inability to withstand provocation surely testifies to the weakness of his presence in our lives (I speak for myself!). The weakness is not with him but relates to our degree of yieldedness to his transforming power.

Because Christ is in us, we do not have to be out-of-control people. We do not have to be victims of our temperaments, desires, or circumstances. We have the potential for Spirit-control in all things.

We are never more tempted to lose control than in the face of personal attack. Jesus knows what it is like. He not only had to bear false accusations throughout his ministry but eventually with blows to his body. Although he could have struck back, he surprised both friend and foe by his restraint.

The ability to turn the other cheek is not weakness but exercise in Spirit-control and Christ-likeness. It is the response only love can generate.