Let me give you a simple rule. Be quick to defend others, but be slow to defend yourself. Abraham Lincoln once said, "I never give an explanation of my actions to my critics." He said the reason is simple. "My friends don't need an explanation and my enemies wouldn't believe it."

Now that is wise advice, but having said that I think it is worth noting that Jesus suggested two cheeks, not dozens of them. He was not advocating we become a doormat to people who try to abuse us or walk all over us. Paul went on to say in that 12th chapter of Romans and verse 18, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Now sometimes that is not always possible.

I heard about a small man that walked into a restaurant, sat down to eat, and a big bully sitting on a barstool got up and walked over to that little man and chopped him across the neck; knocked him flat on the floor. As the man was getting up, the big man said, "That's karate from Japan."

Well, the smaller man rubbed his neck, sat back down and tried to eat his meal. A few minutes later the big man returned, picked the little man off the chair, threw him over his shoulder and said, "That's Judo from Japan."

Well, the little man walked out of the restaurant with the big man laughing at him. He returned fifteen minutes later, walked up behind him, cracked him over the head and said, "That's crowbar from Sears."

Sometimes self defense is not only warranted and necessary, but it's good for the other person. But forgiveness, and not revenge, should be our first response.