1 Peter 3:8-14
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 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. For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
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.”
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
Devotion
Peter now gives some general instructions for all believers. He begins by encouraging all believers to be like-minded, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble toward one another. These are the appropriate attitudes and actions that believers are to have toward one another. These are also good indicators that believers are walking according to the Spirit of God.
In verses 9-12, Peter offers a difficult challenge to believers who are suffering for their faith. He basically is instructing us to return a blessing when evil is done to us. Once again, we realize that Christ is our ultimate example of this principle. We are not to repay evil for evil. Instead, we are to imitate the goodness of God even toward those who would seek to harm us. This biblical principle lies in stark contrast to the world’s principle of “getting even.” Paul echoes this same principle in Romans chapter twelve where he writes, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.”
In verses 13-14, Peter writes that suffering for doing the right thing should bring joy to the believer. Some Christians suffer because they are obnoxious in their witness to others. Peter is teaching that if we simply take a reverent stand for what is right and for God, we ought to rejoice if we suffer for that. As a follower of Christ, we are not going to escape suffering for our faith. Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).
In this text, Peter encourages us to avoid careless, half-hearted Christian living. We are called to live holy lives that are set apart for God. When we live out this commitment, we should expect opposition from the world. We should also expect persecution from those who hate Christ. In all of this, we are to be a blessing toward those who would seek to harm us because of Christ. When we live out our faith before the world, God promises to bless us for doing the right thing.
Questions to Ponder
Are you able to live in harmony with other believers? Would others describe you using the words: sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble? Do you feel the need to retaliate when others have wronged you? Are you able to rejoice when you suffer persecution because of your faith? How would you rate your commitment to Christ? Would you be willing to give up your life for the cause of Christ?
Prayer Points
- Praise the Lord, our sympathetic High Priest, who knows exactly what we are going through. Receive His comfort.
- Thank Him for His love, compassion, humble heart, long-suffering, patience, and forgiveness.
- Ask the Lord to enable you, by His Spirit, to overflow with genuine love for others. Ask Him to remind you of your citizenship that is in heaven and to not miss the daily opportunities to reflect His heart to those around you, especially in the midst of suffering.
- Tell Him you are sorry for grieving His Holy Spirit, for times you have fallen short. Pray to be holy as He is holy.
Suggested Prayer
Holy and Righteous Father, I worship and adore You, my King and God, my Living Hope. Thank You, Lord, for enduring the cross, drinking the cup of wrath I deserve so I could drink/receive the cup of blessing. Lord, just as You made intercession for those persecuting You, will You help me to do the same? When being mocked or suffering, remind me to respond with love, and cause the demonstration of Your Holy Spirit inside of me to bless, forgive, and react in a way that brings You glory. Help me and Your church, Lord. I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.