Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. -1Peter 2:18-19 NASB
Interesting how Peter speaks of suffering unjustly. He goes on to contrast this voluntary suffering with the kind that we sometimes suffer justly because of our sins. Here is what a pastor writes about this kind of suffering:
The willingness of God’s people to suffer out of love for others—including our enemies—rather than use coercive force against them must still be considered the ultimate expression of God’s love and the ultimate resistance against the patterns of this world.I have found this principle of voluntary suffering to be very helpful when I am wronged. When I suffer I am reminded that the One who I follow suffered much injustice. With his dying breath he forgave injustices committed against him.
I offer my life to you Lord as a living sacrifice. Help me to be like you. Teach me to love.
... this devotion is part of my series on the epistles of Peter and biblical words.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to get comments and usually respond. So come back to see my reply.
You can click here to see my comment policy.