Mt 5:38-48
[Jesus said to his disciples:] 38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But 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. 40If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. 41Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. 42Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? 48So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Turn the other one: This is an alternative to retaliation, one that is exactly the opposite of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. They throw a stone at you, we, Filipinos, say, throw them bread. There is truth in this. When people hurt you, it does not necessarily call for you to hurt them, too. Be kind to people, for you do not know what difficulty they are going through. Usually it is far worse than what you are bearing.
The violent act is not always a statement against us but is about the perpetrators. What are they really saying? They are usually not after our lives; they just want our attention. It takes a lot of courage, a lot of heart. But it will keep our dignity, and we will turn out to be bigger and more human than the persons who have hurt us.
This is easier said than done but still doable! You just have to turn the other cheek and smile. It is the best disarming weapon. They will never know what you are up to; soon they will be throwing themselves at your feet. And God will be smiling at you.