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Do you want the life of any Christian you know?
A curious warning is given to us in Peter’s first letter. There he tells us to be ready to give the reason for the hope that lies within us to everyone who asks (3:15). Now, what’s strange about that passage is this: no one ever asks.
When was the last time someone stopped you to inquire about the reason for the hope that lies within you? You’re at the market, say, in the frozen food section. A friend you haven’t seen for some time comes up to you, grasps you by both shoulders and pleads, “Please, you’ve got to tell me. Be honest now. How can you live with such hope? Where does it come from? I must know the reason.” Has this ever happened to you? Under any circumstances?
Yet God tells us to be ready, so what’s wrong? To be blunt, nothing about our lives is worth asking about. There’s nothing intriguing about our hopes, nothing to make anyone curious. Not that we don’t have hopes; we do. We hope we’ll have enough after taxes this year to take a summer vacation. We hope our kids don’t wreck the car. We hope our favorite team goes to the World Series. We hope our health doesn’t give out, and so on. Nothing wrong with any of those hopes; nothing unusual, either.
Everyone has hopes like that, so why bother asking us? It’s life as usual. Sanctified resignation has become the new abiding place of contemporary Christians. No wonder nobody asks.
Do you want the life of any Christian you know?
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What is my job?
Well, this is a pretty simple job description. What is my job? It is to bless. That is it!! When I do, I am a blessing to others and I also get my Heavenly Father’s blessing.
May I bless others at every turn today.
Bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing. 1 Peter 3:12
Am I being encouraging?
I must embrace life. I want to see my days fill up with good stuff. So, here is what I must do. I must say nothing evil or hurtful. Oh the times I have said something and immediately wished I could take it back. The better way is to not say evil and hurtful things.
I must cultivate discipline in my speech. I must be uplifting and encouraging. Then my days will fill with good.
For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. 1 Peter 3:10
Am I humble enough?
Am I humble enough? Not yet and that is important to understand.
Who gets the credit? That is a central question. In God’s world that He rules (the Kingdom), God gets the credit. The victory belongs to the Lord. Humility is central to relationships. Central to my relationship with Him. Central to my relationship with others. Love does not boast. That is how I bless others and receive a blessing.
May I always give the Lord the credit. He is God. He is good. He is great.
Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-12
Run after peace for all I am worth
I should go all out for it. Pursue it no matter what. Peace is from Him but I have to go for it. Don’t say things that hurt others. Cultivate the good in others. Go after the good. Ignore the evil. God approves this and listens to me in this context.
May I cultivate the good. May I go for peace no matter what. May my day fill up with good.
Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, here’s what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
run after peace for all you’re worth.
God looks on all this with approval,
listening and responding well to what he’s asked;
But he turns his back on those who do evil things.1 Peter 3:8-12
He knows what He is doing
Life does seem difficult some days. The key question is “Am I doing what God said”? If so, I should take the difficulties in stride. I can trust him that He knows what He is doing. It is His plan, not mine. I can trust Him that He will keep on doing it.
So if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it. 1 Peter 4
As if my life depended on it!!
Oh yes. There are times I felt my life depended on many things. This good word sets a wonderful standard for me. All I need to do is love others as if my life depends on it. AND, it does. I should be cheerful. I should be generous. If I an, He will get all the credit.
May I love in such a way that it makes up for practically anything. Wouldn’t that be an amazing thing. That is the way He does it. Here is the deal. Love more, worry less.
Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!” 1 Peter 4:8-11
Great things are coming
Our Father cares for us. He has great things in mind for us. He is doing it.
What we are concerned about is what we are concerned about. He will complete the good work in us. He hasn’t brought us this far to leave us now. We need to stand firm. He cares for us!! How can anything happen that won’t complete His good work? Everything is working for our good and His glory.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
May we have absolute trust in Him. May we know how much He cares.
Doing what God said
He is God. That means He knows what He is doing even if I don’t get it. His answer is the right answer. His timing is the right timing. He is God.
My job is give it to Him and trust Him. He cares about me in ways I can’t understand.
Yep, He is God and He isn’t going to stop being God. May I live my life that way.
So if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it. 1 Peter 4:17
Free to pursue what God wants
I can learn to think like Jesus. He didn’t expect to get His own way. Now that is radical. Who doesn’t want to get their own way? Seriously. But that misses God’s goal for our lives.
I can be free. Free to pursue what God wants. Jesus only did what he saw his Father doing. No more, no less.
I can be free from being tyrannized by what I want. I can be obedient to what God wants. He is in charge of His country. I need to obey.
Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old habit of always expecting to get your own way which misses God’s goal. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want. 1 Peter 4
Should we clean house?
So many days we are focused on our house. Is it clean? Is it organized? There is even a show about people whose houses get so cluttered they call in the experts to fix it. It is fun to watch.
Jesus taked a lot about how what really matters is what is in us. Peter heard it first hand. We should focus on cleaning up “our inner life”. Make a clean sweep. Call in the expert, Jesus. Get rid of all the muck of pretense and hurtful conversations.
So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. 1 Peter 2:1
Count yourself fortunate
Some people don’t get what God is doing. They see His powerful Spirit working in us and are confused about what it means. They ridicule, scoff, mock and minimize His mighty work. When that happens, we are fortunate. Nothing like some abuse heaped on us because of Him.
If you’re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. 1 Peter 4:14
May I consider myself fortunate when others don’t get Him.
Inner self
What is of value in God’s world? What has great worth?
May I learn from the Master and have a gently and quiet spirit.
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