Giving others our best even when we receive their worst
Matthew 5:38-42
Jesus
said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and
a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as
well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your
cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him
for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on
one who wants to borrow.”
Do you
remember Eddie Christian Sr. of Fort Smith? He was a trial lawyer who had an
excellent reputation. If you were in trouble, you wanted Eddie Christian to
defend you. I met Eddie Christian shortly after arriving in Fort Smith, but not
because I needed a defense attorney! Rather it was to give him Last Rites, and
a little later, to preside at his funeral. Eddie often said, ‘If you tell
someone you’ll meet them at 12 noon with 5 dollars, show up at 11:30 with 10
dollars.” That was Eddie’s personal motto – always give everyone your very
best, and that’s why you wanted him on your side in court. You could almost say
Eddie would give his best when other people would give their worst. Eddie did
the maximum, not the minimum.
This is the
attitude Jesus is advocating in the gospel today: always give 110%, not just
100%. Our Lord says, “When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the
other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your
tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for
one mile, go with him for two miles.” Sounds like Jesus and Eddie Christian
were using the same playbook: don’t do the minimum, but rather the maximum.
Don’t ask what’s the least I have to do, but what’s the most I can offer? In
other words, even when others are at their worst, give them your best.
Here are a
few more examples of people like Eddie Christian and Jesus. Archbishop Peter
Sartain, our former bishop, always gave people his best. If he happened to
mention a book, or promise to do something in a conversation, you can be sure
he would follow up the next day, even if you forgot he had mentioned it. He
always gives his best. A friend of mine, who’s a mom of four little children,
always makes sure the kids sit down for a hot, healthy meal every night. Even
when they don’t appreciate it, she gives them her best. A priest-friend of mine
not only works hard on his Sunday homilies, but also carefully prepares his
daily homilies. (His name is NOT John Antony.) Even when people sleep through
Mass, he gives his best effort. When you walk into the post office, a
restaurant, a hospital or department store, do you want to be greeted by
someone just doing their job (the minimum) or by someone who wants to give you
their best (their maximum)? Obviously, we hope others give us their best even
when we might give them our worst.
St.
Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, put it like this, he said:
“Professional work, whatever it is, becomes a lamp to enlighten your colleagues
and friends. That is why I usually tell those who become members of Opus
Dei…What use it is telling me that so-and-so is a good son of mine – a good
Christian – but a bad shoemaker.’ If he doesn’t learn his trade well, he won’t
be able to sanctify it or offer it to God” (Friends of God, 61). In other
words, do your best, even when others do their worst, because you’re doing it
for God.
Praised be
Jesus Christ!
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