Peter, A Breath of Fresh Air
Who would know better than Peter, how God, through the suffering of Jesus Christ, sets all things right. My dad used to say, “You can be right and still be wrong”. There are various ways to understand this. You can do everything you thought was right, everything you are told to do and more, doing it in a way to please God and the humans you work for and still be misunderstood, be criticized, yelled at, or worse, fired. It happens.
What a terrific reminder this passage of Peter’s is to us today. I have experienced this in my own life. When bad stuff happens, I’ve watched how God sets things right. He always has and always will. “If you are treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God” says Peter. Did you get that? THAT IS WHAT COUNTS WITH GOD! Don’t give us doing what is right and good! Don’t grow weary in doing good we are told in other parts of God’s Word to us. For in the end, God sets things right.
1 Peter 2, The Message
The Kind of Life He Lived
18-20 You who are servants, be good servants to your masters—not just to good masters, but also to bad ones. What counts is that you put up with it for God’s sake when you’re treated badly for no good reason. There’s no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve. But if you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God.
21-25 This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.
He never did one thing wrong,
Not once said anything amiss.
They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
What do we learn…and cling to?
–Be content to let God set things right. He will!
Dear Heavenly Father,
What a mighty, caring, loving God You are! We love You with all our heart, mind and soul. Thank you for reminding us not to quit, but to keep on pleasing You with all that You put in us. Help us, Lord. Thank you for Your Presence with us constantly. Thank you for setting all things right.
In Jesus Name, Amen
