You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. 2 Corinthians 11:19-20
The tone of Paul’s writing in this passage, tells us that Christians don’t need to put up with this sort of behaviour. Christians aren’t doormats!
When the Jews accused Paul of being a troublemaker and stirring up riots, he was brought before Festus. It appeared that Festus was going to give in to the Jews demands and send Paul back to Jerusalem. The Jews were planning to assassinate Paul on the way. So Paul did the only thing left to do. “Paul answered: ‘I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!’” (Acts 25:10-11).
As a Roman citizen who believed his civil rights were being violated, Paul had the right to appeal to Caesar and Paul didn’t back down from doing so. There’s “a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). There’s a time “to turn the other cheek” and there’s a time to “appeal to Caesar.” It requires godly wisdom to know which is best in any given situation. It’s always right to love and forgive our enemies, yet this doesn’t turn us into doormats who cave in to everyone’s demands.
