From the Pastor...
September 21, 2008

Acting Our Best

in the Worst of Times

I Peter 3:8-12

     Are you currently facing trying moments?  How have you responded to that lately?  How can we act our best in the worst of times?

    I Peter 3:8-12 instructs us, “[8] Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. [9] Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. [10] For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. [11] He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. [12] 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.”

     Based on these verses, we are instructed to do three things to act our best in the worst of times. 

·         Keep on loving people (v. 8) – “Finally” refers to sum things up.  Just as the whole law is summed up in love, so are our human relationships.  This love is evidence by “unity of mind.”  We need to work as one in the midst of diversity.  We may disagree on how things are done but we must agree on what needs to be done and why.  We must live life to honor Christ, love the lost to the kingdom of God, and keep building the church up.  Some methods are not biblically founded but there is plenty of room for variety in the church. 

     Another evidence of love is compassion.  A sincere feeling for others and with the needs of others.  We must journey with people through their trials and their blessings.  This was unheard of in the Roman Empire.  It was not admired.  And compassion is not just feeling sorry for someone and viewing that from a distance.  We must put into action the sympathy we have for others.  Verse 8 talks about living in harmony, showing sympathy, loving like we are family and doing it with humility – that no one is greater than the other. 

·         Learn to love your enemies (v. 9) – We can choose to live on one of three levels of human relationship.  Hurt others for the good they show which is evil.  Return good for good and evil for evil which is human.  Or do what is godlike:  return good for evil.  An eye for an eye is easy and achievable.  But only a submitted heart to God can do good for the evil done.  This must’ve been difficult for Peter because at one time he cut off a soldiers ear who was about to arrest Jesus in the Garden.  In the book of Acts, we see this type of divine change in the life of the apostles.  Whenever they were threatened, they relied on God and kept loving their enemy. 

     This is what we were called to do – to be like Christ.  God promises as mentioned in verse 9 that we receive a blessing when we do good to those who hurt us.  Persecution from others can be a great time of spiritual enrichment. 

·         Love life (v. 10-12) – Hardship, trials, persecutions should not hinder us from living a full life.  Too many believers give up too soon. 

     a. We must deliberately choose to love life.  This is an act of the will.  It is an attitude of faith that sees the best in every situation.  It is the opposite of a pessimistic situation.  We can choose to endure life and make it a burden; escape life and forever run away from our battles, or enjoy life because we know God is in control.  I’m not talking about being unrealistic but faith goes beyond what we can see.  Faith is believing that God will make the impossible possible. 

     b. We must control our tongues.  Many of the problems in life are caused by saying the wrong things.  We need to read James 3 regularly.  Peter was one person who knew the sad consequences of hasty speech.  There is no place for foolish and evil talk.  Ephesians 5:3-4 – “[3] But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. [4] Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”

     c. We must do good and hate evil.  It is not enough to avoid sin but to speak against it.  That’s the only kind of hate allowed in the Christian life. 

     d. We must seek peace and pursue it.  But what if our enemies take advantage of us?  Peter gave the assurance that God’s eyes are on his people.  Let God be God and let him defeat our enemies. 

     Peter quoted Psalm 34:12-15 in this portion of the letter.  By good days, Peter and the Psalmist is not referring to a trouble free life.  Good days are when we experience the power of God, his love and protection in the middle of all the trouble. 

     The next time you are having a bad day, view it as an opportunity for God to turn it into something good.

Dino Miciano