How to Take a Hit
Luke 6:27–36
Life hits you.
Not always physically, but emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. A harsh comment. A betrayal. A misunderstanding. Someone misrepresents you. Someone overlooks you. Someone criticizes you publicly. Someone hurts you privately.
And in those moments, something rises up inside of us.
The urge to respond.
The urge to defend.
The urge to clap back.
The urge to get even.
Pain has a way of making us reactive. But Jesus calls His followers to a different way.
In Luke 6:27–36, Jesus gives one of the most challenging instructions in the entire Bible:
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” How To Take A Hit
That kind of response does not come naturally. It has to be formed in us.
Learning to follow Jesus means learning how to take a hit.
Everyone Gets Hit
If you watch boxing or MMA, you quickly notice something: the most dangerous fighter isn’t always the one who hits the hardest. Often it’s the one who can take a hit and keep going.
Because in a real fight, everyone gets tagged eventually.
Life works the same way.
You can be doing the right thing and still get hit.
You can be trying to follow Jesus and still be misunderstood.
You can love people and still get hurt by them.
The question is not if you will get hit.
The question is what you will do when you do.
If you cannot take a hit, you will spend your life being controlled by whoever last touched your nerve.
Don’t Let Others Control Your Response
Jesus begins with four actions:
Love your enemies
Do good to those who hate you
Bless those who curse you
Pray for those who mistreat you How To Take A Hit
Notice something important. These are not feelings. They are choices.
When someone hurts you, your emotions will scream for retaliation. But discipleship means choosing a different response.
Proverbs reminds us:
“Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” How To Take A Hit
If someone can provoke you on demand, they can control you on demand.
And that is not freedom.
Many of us are still being controlled by people who are not even in the room anymore. We replay conversations in our heads, rehearse arguments, and imagine the moment we finally say the perfect comeback.
But Jesus invites us into something better: a life where our character is not controlled by the hit we take.
Don’t Try to Get Even
Jesus also says:
“If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.” How To Take A Hit
This does not mean becoming a doormat. Jesus is not endorsing abuse or eliminating boundaries.
He is confronting retaliation.
The world runs on retaliation.
You hurt me.
I hurt you back.
You embarrass me.
I embarrass you worse.
But Jesus’ kingdom operates differently.
Scripture says:
“Do not take revenge… ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” How To Take A Hit
Many of us imagine a scoreboard between ourselves and others. We feel the need to “balance things out.”
But that scoreboard does not exist.
There is only one relationship where righteousness is measured: your relationship with God.
When we trust God with justice, we are free from the exhausting burden of trying to settle every score ourselves.
Don’t Stoop to Their Level
Jesus continues with what we call the Golden Rule:
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” How To Take A Hit
Then He raises the bar even higher.
Loving people who love you back is normal. Anyone can do that.
But discipleship shows up when love costs something.
When someone is harsh and you respond gently.
When someone gossips and you refuse to join in.
When someone wrongs you and you bless them anyway.
That kind of response interrupts the cycle of retaliation.
And it stands out in a world addicted to outrage.
Followers of Jesus are playing a different game. Our goal is not simply to win arguments. Our goal is to win people.
Remember the Hit Your Father Took
At some point, loving enemies begins to feel impossible.
Because it is.
You cannot sustain that kind of response through sheer willpower.
The strength comes from remembering what God has done for us.
Jesus says we are called to be merciful because our Father is merciful. How To Take A Hit
The gospel reminds us that we were once the enemy. Yet God responded with kindness.
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus was mocked.
He was slapped.
He was humiliated.
He was nailed to a cross.
And instead of revenge, He prayed:
“Father, forgive them.”
That is mercy in its purest form. Power under control.
When we remember the mercy we have received, we find the strength to extend mercy to others.
Mercy Is Freedom
Taking a hit does not mean ignoring injustice or staying in abusive situations. Jesus is not canceling boundaries.
He is canceling vengeance.
Bitterness is a prison.
Revenge is a chain.
Unforgiveness is a weight that will eventually exhaust you.
Forgiveness does not mean the other person was right. It means you refuse to let their offense control your heart.
The goal is not to win the fight.
The goal is to keep your heart free.
The Better Way
Learning to take a hit is not weakness.
It is strength shaped by the Spirit of God.
It means:
Refusing to let others control your response
Letting go of the need to get even
Refusing to stoop to the world’s level
Remembering the mercy God has shown you
Jesus took the hit we deserved so we would not have to live controlled by the hits we receive.
And when we respond with mercy, patience, and grace, we begin to look like our Father.
That is what it means to truly take a hit.
