Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:9
Just the other day we looked at the gospel of Luke and how we are called as Christians to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who despitefully use us… Today, we examine other aspects of our walk that lead to growth and display our acceptance of Jesus as the model for our lives… Peter was a man who faced many challenges, from the time he wept in the courtyard to standing before the courts of the Pharisees, Peter saw many trials and tribulations… It is in today’s reading that he reminds us that we can’t act like everyone else in the world, we can’t conduct business the way people conduct business and we cannot stoop to the levels of society that would lead us to straying away from our walk with the Lord… Peter was known as a man who didn't care for too many shenanigans; many scholars speak of Peter as being the kind of guy who would make you think twice before messing with him… All these things lead me to believe that Peter had a very quick temper; however, under the guidance of the Lord Peter teaches us today that we can’t be reactive, we can’t jump to conclusions, we can’t be like everyone else… How hard is it for you to turn away from somebody who has done you wrong? How hard is it to walk away from a person who has insulted you and/or gotten under your skin…? Peter reminds us today that as a child of God, we show our faith by taking these actions! Despite how we may have reacted as a product of the world, today we are reminded that we must have a different approach as a child of God… Quite frankly there are things in our lives that we use to do which will not be accepted nor tolerated in living a life that is pleasing to our Lord…
I know that biting your tongue can be difficult, extending a loving hand to your adversary may be challenging, and turning the other check can be a daunting task; however, the words from Peter are not only that these are things that you must do, but that these traits are obtainable when walking under the authority of God… Understand that by walking away you will inherit blessings; this is not a sign of weakness but maturity… As Christians, we all need to remember that God didn't repay us for our evil and sin, He responded with a blessing in the form of Jesus Christ… Blessings poured out in times of evil reap a harvest of glory and honor to God! Jesus didn't repay the Roman soldiers who hung Him on the cross, He sought for them to be forgiven and then bowed His head; now He sits at the right hand of the Father and all power has been placed in His hands! Let us draw strength from His example. Let us live our lives according to the will of God, when evil arises in your life, pour out the spirit of blessings that God has poured out on you… Speak a kind word to your enemy, and lend a hand to someone who has betrayed you… When you do these things, you rebuke Satan’s attack and store up more blessings from God in heaven… God has promised that you will be exalted in the face of evil (thou preparest a table for me in the presences of mine enemies…) so stand on faith in God and don’t take matters into your own hands… The Lord knows how many times you keep quiet and don’t overact; He will do the talking for you and will reward you openly with blessings…
ALL FOR HIS GLORY!
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