1 Peter 3:8-22
The temptation to worship myself is always there, creeping in through pride and selfishness and control. Self-preservation comes to roost in insisting on having my way, in apathy, selfishness, hardness of heart, and arrogance. I quickly return zinger for zinger; I angrily plot revenge, even if only in my head, as I rehearse arguments and my pithy responses. I am capable of such terrible stuff.
But the thing about worshipping myself is that I’m a lousy god. I’m not even any kind of god. The real God, the only true God demands that I give up this idea of my own deity and accept both my need for him and his absolute claim as Yahweh.
And in doing so, I accept and learn to practice the greatest commandment. Love God and love others (Mt. 22:36-40). I seek to be a blessing to others (3:9) because God loves and values people so much that he died for them. And if I love him, I love what he loves. So instead of devoting myself to myself, I choose to pursue unity, sympathy, brotherly love, tenderness, and humility (3:8).
When I choose to be a blessing by embracing the values and commands of God, I see God’s blessing on me. I shouldn’t be surprised at this. As much as God loves and values people, when I do the same, he gets pumped. I act the same way when someone loves and values my kids. Only his reaction is times infinity, because you know – God.
So to bless others, Peter uses Psalm 34 to tell me to keep my tongue from evil and my lips from deceit (3:10), to turn away from evil and do good (3:11), and to seek peace and pursue it (3:11). When I pursue such righteousness in my actions and words, the blessing of God’s presence, his concern, his listening ear, and his comfort become mine. He is like the attentive and caring mother who is for her children. But when I am against his ways, God sets his face against me (3:12).
I desire the good blessing the Lord gives, and that’s not wrong. The desire for goodness in us as image-bearers reflects God’s innate goodness. We are made to be like him, and as such we too desire goodness. Of course, it gets us in trouble when we expect good only in the sense of ease and comfort.
As I honor Christ the Lord as holy (3:15) by my choices and actions, I should expect that suffering may come (3:17). Jesus warns his disciples before his death that they would be hated for his name’s sake (Mark 13:13), and we shouldn’t be surprised at the same. Yet even in suffering, we find God’s blessing (3:14), though perhaps not in this life. But in choosing righteousness despite the consequences, we are promised God’s blessing. And God always keeps his promises.
What am I willing to suffer for? Will I suffer to maintain my own comfort and ease and security? Will I suffer for what lasts or what doesn’t? Will I suffer for what is good or for what is evil (3:17)? Would I suffer for God? Will I choose ease or righteousness, comfort or holiness? What am I willing to endure? Is he worth the risk?
The disciples certainly thought he was. In Mark 13, Jesus vividly describes the arrests, beatings, and punishment the disciples would endure as they proclaimed Jesus’ righteousness throughout the age. In Luke 22:31, Jesus explains to Peter that Satan desires to sift him like wheat. Suffering was coming for these disciples as they chose to follow God with their lives. And yet they endured and declared his message in the face of all the suffering he promised would come. They didn’t back down. Will I?
As C.S. Lewis reminds us, God isn’t safe but he is good. How good? Good enough that he too suffered. In his suffering he conquered sin, made us righteous, and brought us to himself (3:18). He is so good that he came for us, rescuing us and making us his own.
He’s not safe. Following him is not safe. Worshipping him and not myself or comfort or ease is radical. There is risk involved in this life of faith. But he is good. He’s worth the risk. And one day there will be no more tears and no more suffering (Revelation 21:4), but only joy in the presence of our Lord.
Lord let us not live this life afraid – afraid of suffering, afraid of not having control, afraid of not being important. May we live for you and not for ourselves. Help us to say yes to you, yes to your righteousness, in whatever circumstance and facing whatever earthly consequence. God, you are so good, so worthy. May we lift you higher in every choice we make. Amen.
