Jesus said that if anyone smites you, turn the other cheek; give him love. It is a very difficult philosophy, but I have lived that life, and I know it is the only one that works. The way to practise Christ’s philosophy is to begin with your family. Right in your own home he is watching whether you are following his ideals or the tenets of evil. In family life, the test of spiritual existence is to remain always calm and understanding. If someone wants to fight, remain quiet. Can anyone keep up an argument if you don’t talk back? If you are married and your spouse goes wrong, love him all the more. Pour kindness and love on the wrongdoer. If your love is not understood, your loved one may leave you; but to the last day of life he will remember that he is the one who wronged you. It is better to live in the hearts of those you love as one who loved them unconditionally than to live in their memory as one who was hateful.
It is natural to love others who love you and are kind to you. But Jesus said to give love even to those who abuse you. I have lived that philosophy. I have learned to love people in spite of their behaviour. For those who fail this test, it is their doom. The fault lies with self, not with others. No matter how perfect you try to make a place, you will see that there will always be somebody coming to interfere. That is the law of this world. How many have tried to shake me and disrupt the harmony of my work, but have not been able to do so. Why? Because I follow the laws of Christ. No one can hurt me if I don’t wish to be hurt.
Jesus had the power to destroy his enemies. I have that power, too. I could hurt others with just a thought; but I have never done it. I have never used that power for revenge. As you travel the spiritual path, your will becomes fiery. God gives His devotees great powers as they grow. He doesn’t give it to everyone, because people would destroy one another. But as one advances spiritually, his power increases. If he is tempted to use it to hurt others, however, he will destroy himself. The misuse of his power will be his end.
Jesus said, “If I would, I could borrow twelve legions of angels from my Father.” But what did he do instead? He observed quietness. He didn’t even try to defend himself. That is the divine way to overcome your enemies. If in a spiritual environment you are mistreated, give love. I have lived that. Remain quiet; for as soon as you help the wrongdoer with one word of quarrel, you have soiled your own thoughts; you have failed in your own ideals. Where there is a fight, at least two parties are involved. So there can be no fight with you if you refuse to participate.
The only way to conquer your enemy is to follow the example of Christ-love. God has the power to destroy us in an instant; but He does not do so, even though we give Him plenty of cause. He gives love for hate. And He expects us to follow that example. Each one of us must live that life. No one can quarrel with me. That is the way I have conquered. If you want to know Christ you have to be victorious in every test, to conquer the ego self even in little things.
Extract from the book “Divine Romance” by Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda
