"Or Jesus would say, do not worry; but we would understand: of course we should worry and work for our families and ourselves. Anything else would be irresponsible. But inwardly we should be free of such worry. Jesus would say; if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also. but we would understand: it is precisely in fighting, in striking back, that genuine fraternal love grows large. Jesus would say: strive first for the kingdom of God. We would understand: of course, we should first strive for all sorts of other things. How else should we survive? What he really meant was that final inner willingness to invest everything for the kingdom of God. Everywhere the same—the deliberate avoidance of simple, literal obedience.
"How is such a reversal possible? What has happened that the word of Jesus has to endure this game? That it is so vulnerable to the scorn of the world? Anywhere else in the world where commands are given, the situation is clear. A father says to his child: go to bed! The child knows exactly what to do...The situation is supposed to be different only with respect to Jesus' command. In that case simple obedience is supposed to be wrong or even to constitute disobedience. How is this possible?" — Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Discipleship
<idle musing>
Ouch!
</idle musing>
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