Spiritually turning the other cheek and the constant language of the heart

I've been reading the <<Meditations>> of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, since I love wisdom literature. And it is very wholesome for Christians. He insists on the importance of being good even in one's thoughts to the best of one's ability.

And he has been a way I believe that God has gotten through to me how to apply the Lord's commandment to turn the other cheek to a situation. In the New Church we do not teach that this commandment to turn the other cheek involves literally not to defend ourselves as individuals or groups or nations; for this would result in ruin! Certainly parry that blow and if necessary neutralize that target in defense of self and loved ones and what is greater even than these. 

We are not to return evil for evil.

We can return defense to aggression, but we are not to hate and otherwise commit sin against the neighbor.

This brings me to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius again. He insists throughout the <<Meditations>> that we are ourselves in the wrong if we get too worked up and resentful about even genuine injustices done to us.

He teaches that it is precisely then that we must put up or shut up with all our talk of becoming a better person, a better neighbor. 

It is said of Samuel that He did not initially recognize the voice of God but received instruction from Eli so as to recognize that voice.

Did you know that you can communicate in variations of the inmost heart?

This is part of what is meant in the Writings about how angels of the third heaven, the celestial angels, speak a language consisting of variations in the affections.

Truly religious people have within them a conscience which is at its grossest mostly an uncomprehending obedience which is however acceptable; or a conscience which is more and more prompted by the tiny variations in the heart life of humankind. 

These variations in the state of your will or heart personally may be perceived if you look for them; and may be accepted eventually as a kind of perceptible language about what YOU need to do to improve.

The conscience is the ambassador of Christ, it is stronger with those who place more tools at its disposal. You gain those tools by learning about the patterns and symbols in the Word and thus yourself, yourself and thus the Word. 

It is in the language of the inmost conscience that one saw the reproof of my personally being too indignant in return even to genuine injustices done to me. 

This returned slap for slap and broke the commandment to turn the other cheek, which involves how we respond with love or hate and not how we respond with necessary force.

The Threefold Word flies into the hands of those who recognize that the Testaments of God are a sophisticated technology; which can be employed with far ranging effects on every aspect of human life having to do with growth in love and righteousness and understanding of these and finetuning.

The Word flies into the hands of those who understand its utility to growing in God and the neighbor and understanding this non-ulteriority. It does not fly into the hands of people unwilling to improve.

To improve is to weep before the joy of the morning.

The 3rd chapter of 1 Samuel contains the story one referenced above in which Samuel had not yet been instructed by Eli so that the Word of God was revealed to Him.

He had not in other words yet had proper instruction in the secret of the Word's relevance and true utility to become better people with better thoughts; with more genuine love of God and the neighbor in proportion as we expel the Canaanite and Perizzite and Hivite from our hearts.

This is why that chapter and story contain references to "hearing" and "tingling ears"; because "ears" are predicated of the will, the heart, the desires, the intentions, and the external actions flowing from these. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks", the Lord says.

We "hear" and "obey" the ambassador of Christ when He reproves us softly within by way of the heart's constant variation and language of becoming better. 

Proverbs 9:8 - King James Version (KJV)

<8> Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Proverbs 15:31 - King James Version (KJV)

<31> The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.

Can you see the illuminated verses of the Word? Can you see the glory in the cloud? Can you see the spiritual sense like carp within the pond of the literal sense?

Come and see! 

Come and understand.

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