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.
Summary: Peter has a unique insight into suffering for our Lord.
When Peter asks the question, “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?” he appeals to our sense of reason. Of course, it makes sense, if you are dealing with reasonable people, that doing good will always be welcome. But the fact is, this is a broken world. Reason does not always rule the day.
So what about those situations where you are eager to do good, and you end up suffering for it? This is a question that takes us beyond the borders of this world and stretches into the next. God’s perspective is very different than ours. This life is a gift, but it is only a small part of the eternal life that God has waiting for us.
The fact is that people sometimes suffer unjustly in this life. When I listen to the news, I get the feeling that there are a lot of people who feel they are suffering. But suffering for what?
In the NIV Peter says, “even if you should suffer for what is right…” In most other English translations, the phrase uses the word, “righteousness.” The intent is that one is suffering for doing what is right in the eyes of God. If that happens, you are blessed.
How?
How are we blessed?
Aside from any personal blessings that might come our way, there is the BIG blessing of being with Jesus eternally. If we suffer for what is right or righteous, we are suffering for our Lord.
Peter writes about suffering more than any other writer in the New Testament. Perhaps it is because he knows more about suffering than most. When Peter denied knowing Jesus the night Jesus was taken to be crucified, Peter ran from suffering. He was afraid of what might happen if the people around him knew he was a disciple of Jesus. Because he was afraid of suffering, he ended up suffering anyway, but in a worse way. The difference is that Peter’s suffering was self-inflicted. He suffered unrighteous guilt because he avoided suffering for a righteous cause.
Peter knows of what he writes. “Don’t do what I did,” seems to be the message.
Application: Work hard to be grounded in our Lord and the Word so that when the time of testing comes you find the strength and courage to suffer for righteousness.
Food for Thought: What do you think Peter meant when he wrote, ”you are blessed”?
Good stuff brother. I like the comparison from Peter’s own life between suffering for what is right in God’s eyes versus suffering for doing what is wrong. I think Peter was likely thinking of his own failure and like you said, saying “don’t do what I did.” Of course, as you mention, he also suffered for doing what is right.
He probably had Jesus’ teaching at the sermon on the mount in mind when he referred to those who suffer for doing what is right as blessed. See Matthew 5: 10 – 12. In this case, Jesus did mention that the kingdom of heaven and the reward in heaven should remain our focus as opposed to the blessings of this world.
Thank you, Rich! That means a lot. 🙂
I like the reference to the Sermon on the Mount. It provides important context for this topic. Oftentimes the “good” choice in life is not the same as the “easy” or the “fun” choice. Yet choosing the “good” always feels right and works out better.
Blessed in the eyes of our Lord.
Or it could be that we are blessed to know our Lord, blessed to be in a relationship with Him. Knowing and understanding how to glorify Him even though we suffer. I might not have a perfect life with suffering still to come but I know that I am very blessed to know Jesus.
Great insight, Tim.
To be blessed brings us closer to our Maker and our Redeemer.
Well,..blessed means,..made holy,..holy means set apart,..so I have been set apart because I suffered for doing good,..not everyone who suffers does good,..it takes someone strong to do good while going through the pain of suffering,..and the only way we are good is having Jesus by our side and in our hearts,..
Who likes to suffer? It’s not fun at all,..but as I have come to learn in this world of ours we live in,..what doesn’t kill me just makes me stronger,..and I am strong in the name of Jesus,..no one can take my faith from me that’s a guaranteed deposit!,..sure I suffer sometimes because someone was in opposition to what I tell them about Jesus,..but I have to just let them be in their own suffering,..I did my job and told them the truth about Jesus,..now it’s in God’s hands,..I have been blessed with the knowledge and truth about Jesus and His love for each and everyone of us,..I have been blessed with a boldness to share with others,..the suffering will also come when we are in heaven mourning for all those that didn’t or wouldn’t accept the message of Jesus and the cross,..that day is drawing near,..we probably need more suffering to happen in order to get His message out,..I have been set apart for that and it is clearly stated at the end of the book of Matthew,..
I may not be in the position to baptize because that’s the Holy Spirit’s roll,..He knows who He will baptize with His Spirit and who He won’t,..so I just continue to proclaim!
Keep smiling in Christ!
John,
You are well named! John the Baptist was also a Proclaimer! Thank you for sharing the insight about what being blessed means. That is an important part of understanding this verse.
None of us likes to be taken advantage of. It’s easy to neglect to do good if we feel we will be unappreciated. However we received God’s blessings even though we didn’t deserve them. In the same way, doing good to others opens us up to God using and blessing us.
Rob,
You have hit on a very important point. Doing God’s work can put us in the middle of fierce resistance. In WWII, when the bombers were over the target, they also received the most resistance. Being used by God is a blessing!
What do you think Peter meant when he wrote, ”you are blessed”?
Persecution was not included in my teachings about salvation through Christ. In fact I was actually sheltered for a time. I read, heard about being persecuted for righteousness’ sake, but cheerfully walked my path with God. I was like a little child holding my Fathers hand, knowing I was totally secure with my Dad. I actually believed I was destined to pass over this persecution phase. I lived in America, a free country a Christian nation.
At some point I became more active outside the church, began telling others about Jesus in my words and actions. Began to be effective in the battle against evil in this world, and attracted unwanted attention. It was a surprise attack, a shock, unfair and I felt like God had left me, did not feel blessed.
In time I turned to God and poured out my heart to Him and His Grace restored me, I began to understand. Now I have come to know it is part of our growing in Christ, and I have come to know what it is to be blessed.
The Creator of all things loves every one of us John 3:16, His desire is to walk with us everyday of our lives, He desires only the best for us I we allow Him.
1 Peter 5:10, After we have suffered for a little while, our God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish us.
2 Corinthians 4:17, Our suffering is temporary, but it produces in us character that will last thought out eternity.
Enoch Genesis 5:22-24, Noah Genesis 6:9, Abraham Genesis 24:40. Through Christ, we can experience the great blessings of knowing God like they did, and to even a greater degree because of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Jesus told us that he confides his kingdom purposes to his friends John 15:15.
Our blessing is the Holy Spirit who guides, heals and empowers.
Ron,
Thank you! That is a powerful story. I appreciate you describing how God’s Grace restored you after you felt abandoned for a short while. God is always there, it is our feelings that change. Expecting the unexpected helps us guard our feelings.
Good comments today. The closer our walk and relationship with the Lord, the greater our blessing. The most gratifying thing for an on-stage performer is to receive a standing ovation. What greater blessing is there for saints than to have our Lord Himself stand to welcome us home. Acts 7.
JEC,
Thank you for joining in today! I love your illustration. The stoning of Stephen in Acts 7:54-60 provides a vivid visual of our service to God when it conflicts with human authority. We get to see through Stephen’s eyes as God allows him to see both worlds simultaneously.