Matthew 5:38 says, Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:  These were really limits on what a person could demand if they had been harmed.  If someone lost an eye or a tooth, that person could not claim a right to kill the other person, or even harm that person more than someone had been harmed himself.  We often view it as a command to claim our right to be demand that the someone who has harmed us pay, but this really isn't the case.  Verse thirty-nine declares, But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  Jesus said that we are to turn the other cheek if we are slapped, which means that we are not to demand that the one who struck us suffers even more than we did.  This is not to say that people are not to be held accountable for their actions, but that we as followers of Christ are to show mercy even to those who may have harmed us.  Verse forty continues, And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.  I know in the world today, if someone takes us to court that we want to give them nothing, and if we take them to court we often demand the maximum that we can get.  I believe that what was being said was that we are to realize that all this deals with material possessions and our physical well being, but Jesus is referring to our spiritual well being.  We are to be guided by the Holy Spirit, and when we are, we will put even those who may have harmed us above ourselves.  Verse forty-one says, And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.  I believe that this is simply saying to go beyond what is demanded of us, so that we will never bring dishonor to God.  Verse forty-two states, Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.  We, as followers of Christ, are to help those who ask us for help.  We cannot allow the fear that we are being taken advantage of stop us from helping others.  I cannot say for sure where we should draw the line, but if we rely on the leadership of the Holy Spirit, I am sure we will do what brings glory to God.  Verse forty-three says,  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  This might even seem like a reasonable idea in the terms of the world.  Still, as we shall see, this is not God's standard.  Verse forty-four states, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  Jesus said that those who follow Him are to love their enemies and do good for those who hate them and pray for those who despitefully us them.  We all at one time were enemies of God, but He still loved us.  Jesus set the example for us on the cross when out of love He prayed for those who were crucifying Him.  Verse forty-five states, That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.you;  If we want to be the children of God, then we must follow His instructions, which just said that we shall love our enemies.  Verse forty-six asks, For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  Jesus tells us that it is easy to love those who love us.  Even those who do not claim to be God's people do this, so why should we feel that doing this makes us any better than them.  Verse forty-seven asks, And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  I believe that this is asking if we greet only those who we view as friends in a friendly matter, how are we any better than anyone else.  We are to approach even our enemies with an attitude to love.  Verse forty-eight says, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.  I do not believe that we will reach the state of perfection in this world, but if we are true followers of Christ and follow His teachings under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, then we will always strive for perfection.