Sunday Reading: 1 Peter 2:18-25
Key Verse: 1 Peter 2:20
20 For what glory is it if you patiently endure while sinning and being buffeted? But if you suffer while doing good, and patiently endure, this is a grace from God.
Devotion:
The apostles were trying to get people to realise that they could be a good Christian example by following Christ’s example. One of ways in which we can do this is one that many would not find pleasing to do and that is to serve those who are above you no matter how much of a tyrant they are. There are obviously limits that must be set on this because we are to serve God first of all, but all that is our reasonable service to do should be done.
Just because someone else is behaving in a sinful way towards us does not give us the right to start sinning against them. Just because we are not being treated in the right way does not give us the right to start treating them in the wrong way. God allows us to be in certain places and in certain positions at time that seem to be more than we should get, but when He allows us to be there, He will also give us the grace to accept that position and also to continue doing His will above the position that we find ourselves in.
Christ was the ultimate example in this way. He did not sin, nor did He behave unseemly towards others, nor did He curse and swear at them... and yet all of these things were done to Him. He went through an enormous amount of suffering and yet He did not take revenge upon those that persecuted Him; that He left up to God until He was lifted back to His rightful position as Judge over us. But Christ’s death was not just as a great example to us, He also bore our sins and took the punishment for them. Through that divine step He allows us to seek and obtain forgiveness to such an extent as to appear sinless before God. We wander off and bring sin upon ourselves, but we always have a way back to God through what Christ has done for us!
Points to Ponder:
How do you react to others?
Do you think about how Christ reacted before reacting yourself?
