Blessed are they who praise
1 Peter 3:13-18 (NIV) 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
There is that word “suffer” again. I need to tell you I have never met anyone who wants to suffer. Yet, suffering is an inescapable part of life. In the scriptural context Peter cautions us to do what is right regardless of the cost and then the spiritual blessings will be greater than any physical threat.
Peter’s advice to be prepared to share with all who ask the reason for our hope is similar to what we refer to as an elevator testimony. You know, a statement of your faith that is so short it can delivered while on an elevator. And may I say that when we share our story of grace, then we are blessed with even more grace.
May we fix our eyes on Jesus and the blessed hope of eternal salvation whether in good times or bad. In everything give the King of Kings all of the praise.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I
Called to Do Good
1 Peter 3:8-12 (NIV) 8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
As I was meditating on these words, I turned to Psalm 34, the source for these verses. David had foolishly turned to the Philistines for help as he was running from Saul. This action falls under the heading of “What was he thinking?” Had he forgotten his encounter with Goliath? Well, the Philistines had not forgotten. In order to escape, David feigned madness and took refuge in a cave.
Peter reminds his listeners of David’s words, and I love the way “The Message” says it: Run after peace for all you’re worth. Isn’t that a wonderful counsel? For those of us who feel we must have the last word, remember, when seeking peace, the last word should be a blessing.
May we today and every day be mindful that God wants the very best for us, and that includes forgoing pettiness and retaliation in exchange for love and kindness.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A Gift of Laughter
Psalms 100 (MSG) 1-2 On your feet now—applaud GOD!
Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.
3 Know this: GOD is God, and God, GOD.
He made us; we didn’t make him.
We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.
4 Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.
5 For GOD is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.
I know this doesn’t sound the least bit familiar. “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands” is what comes to mind when we think Psalm 100. But isn’t this a great paraphrase?When we enter into the presence of the One, True and Living God what better way to show Him our love than to bring a gift of laughter!
We are invited into the presence of the One who created us and told to make ourselves at home. Can you think of a better way to be in relationship with our Father than to laugh with Him?
This world is not my home, but I know, believe and understand that in my Father’s house are many mansions, and one day He will call me home. And in that moment I will be united with the One who died for me and my joy will bubble over and my laughter will fill the rooms.
May we remember to laugh because God is good, and because laughter is a gift from God and that is the only reason we need.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dying to Sin and Living for Righteousness
1 Peter 2:18-25 (NIV) 18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
I once read that the four saddest words in our lexicon are “if only” and “next time.” We are unaware of how much of our lives are consumed by regret over yesterday and dread of tomorrow. Yet, the Shepherd of our Souls patiently waits for us to recognize the sound of His voice and follow.
What enables us to recognize someone’s voice? It is not just the tenor of the voice that becomes familiar, but it is the content of what is said. And it is by staying in close contact and listening, really listening, that we can discern one voice from another.
So it is with our Savior.
One of my greatest difficulties is my propensity to answer insults or slights rather than just letting go. God knows my heart, and He knows your heart. Perhaps today we can be intentional in not just following in the footsteps of Jesus but imitating Him in all we say and do.
May we bring honor to our Savior by both our words and our actions, and may we take the name of Jesus and share Him with all we meet.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
This World is not my Home
1 Peter 2:11-17 (NIV) 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
Only two generations ago many people lived in the same area most of their lives. Some lived in homes passed down from family to family. It was not uncommon for a family to have just one car. But things have changed.
The more mobile our society has become, the more families are spread out. The places we find ourselves may not feel like home, yet in order to be productive and fulfilled we are expected to fit in to the culture. Even in Peter’s time, Christians felt like foreigners in a foreign land. The saying supposedly originated in 383 AD with Bishop Ambrose advising St. Augustine regarding fasting that “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
In much of history, however, many of the problems arose with the people of Israel becoming assimilated into foreign cultures. Being holy as God is holy means to be set apart. Instead, intermarriage led to worshipping foreign gods, which then led to eating forbidden foods and taking part in ceremonies that defiled the One, True God.
Peter recognized the dilemma, and his advice was essentially as Jesus said: render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. But by no means use the freedom we have in Christ to do evil.
We should each understand that everything we do is a reflection of Jesus Christ. May we purpose to help others and glorify God every day or our lives.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 