Today’s reading is 1 Peter 3

Tom writes:

In the last chapter we exiles were reminded that we were chosen. In the grubby days of disconnection, that light shines bright in our hearts. This beast of a man (I always imagine Peter to have been a big bloke for some reason…) shows us how this light brightens even some of the most shadowy challenges we face. In the Vineyard we have summed up a common cause for these shadows; “people do people stuff”. Some people, often people to whom we are very, very close, haven’t yet believed the word and look down on the way we live. Other people, often people who have believed the word, are just plain evil to us. Husbands may be dismissive of our devotions. Bosses may bash us when we are blameless. Church members may crush our fragile dreams. These things do cast shadows onto our soul. If we are not careful they can lead us into disillusionment and despair, anger and plotting of revenge. So Peter - this beast of a Pastor - gives us the antidote; “in your hearts revere Christ as Lord”.

What he means by this is that we should actively lean on the shoulder of Jesus and respond to these shadows in the same way that he did. What did Jesus do? He lovingly died a thousand little deaths - and then one big death - because he knew he would be made alive in the Spirit. If we think on this properly and revere Jesus in our hearts we will begin to trust that where he has gone we will follow; through suffering and then into God-fuelled resurrection. What this does is take away fear. What this does is remove our frightened thinking that we will be mistreated for eternity and that suffering will define us. It won’t. Resurrection will. And so we can put up with hardship. We can turn the other cheek when accused. We can even love our enemies and give gentle and loving responses to their demands. This kind of equation - people give us all kinds of nasty stuff and we give them all kinds of lovely stuff - is the equation of the gospel. If we have the huge vision of God that Peter cast in chapter one and if we are certain that this huge God has chosen us (like Peter said in chapter two) then living out this equation becomes not only possible, but normal. Jesus - the exalted King - gives us all the strength and all the stamina we need to be kind to people who are not kind to us.

Question for reflection

When people are not kind to you, how do you respond?

1 Peter 3 - Thursday 10th October