When ever I teach a fighting combination, self defense or free spar, we discuss self control and the law. I teach them when self defense becomes assault and that they are not the judge and jury. We have a responsibility to defend the weak but not to kill the evil. I teach them that turning the other cheek is what we should do if it will not endanger others. What I mean by that is if a person I know gets mad at me and hits me, even though it is my right to defend myself, I should not if I am not in true danger. Many times anger can be stopped with a kind word better than a round house. If I am being attacked by a stranger and my family is there, I would fight fiercer, more ruthless than if I was by myself. The reason is that if I had a chance to run, I could if I was by my self, but not if my family was there. I do have a responsibility to get my self home to my family to take care of them.
I also teach that we are to meditate on God's Word, not on our selves or anything else. That does not mean we should not concentrate on other things to be focused.
I have many other discussions according to what is brought up.
Jim Stanton
Texas, USA
