Last week I talked about ‘sources’ and ‘sinks’. Namely, that in electronics there is the concept of ‘sources’ and ‘sinks’. That an electronics ‘source’ provides current to a circuit (for example, a battery), while a ‘sink’ consumes electricity (for example, a light bulb). And I talked about a bit about how to metaphorically apply this idea.
I have one more application for you, using it to explore another of Zen Rabbi Jesus’ impossible sayings:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. (Matt 5:38-39, NIV)
Jesus is quoting the Old Testament:
But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. (Ex. 21:23-25, NIV)
I note that Jesus begins by referring to REVENGE: “eye for an eye.” (And not, for example, self-defense, methinks.) As Gandhi famously noted, “The problem with eye for an eye is that pretty soon the whole world will be blind.”
I think we see that playing out in the Middle East. The cycle of revenge — A hurt B, so B hurts A back, so A hurts B back, so B hurts A back … back back back to the dawn of time. There is no end to this truly vicious circle.
But I think this plays out in other ways too: parent abuses child, child grows up and abuses his/her child, who grows up and …
And it plays out in small ways. Someone cuts you off on the freeway and angers you. You arrive at the office and snap at a co-worker. The co-worker goes home and snaps at their spouse in turn. Etc. etc.
Anger: the gift that keeps on giving.
One way, and maybe the only way, to put an end to these vicious cycles is for someone to simply not pass it on, to not pass the Evil along. For someone to “just say ‘no’.” Whatever it takes to stop the cycle. Using the ‘sources and sinks’ metaphor, someone has to be a ‘sink’ for Evil, and break the vicious cycle.
There are various ways to do that. In some circumstances, maybe just ‘take the hit’ and let it go (e.g. when someone cuts you off). In other situations, leaving might be the best option. The options very much depend on the situation. The main thing is: do what you have to do to be OK, without perpetuating the cycle. Just leave revenge out of your equation.
Sometimes to not respond to Evil with Evil can be a really difficult thing to do. Sometimes it can be quite the sacrifice.
But then, Jesus never said that following Him would be easy. Something about “Take up your cross…”