The first readers of First Peter were experiencing suffering – some kind of official persecution. They were told not to be surprised, because the ways of Christ (generosity, humility, and compassion) threaten people with means, power, and self-righteousness.
Here’s a transcript:
I’m thinking about portions of chapter 4 and chapter 5 of First Peter (1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11). Our section begins with the author telling his readers not to wonder at the “fiery trial” that is taking place among them. Apparently the recipients were experiencing a wave of persecution.
Persecution for early Christians was intermittent. It was fairly rare for the entire Roman Empire to engage in persecution of Christians. But in any given province, the governor might institute some kind of program against this growing faith that the Romans neither understood nor trusted. In the earliest days of the Church, people could be in one place and be perfectly safe while in another place they might be openly pursued.
The question of suffering is one raised in a number of faiths and Christianity is not the only one. First Peter says that the explanation for at least some suffering is in doing what is right, in believing what is true, in following the one who is trustworthy. That isn’t always true. There is plenty of suffering that is, and I’m quite familiar with this from personal experience, self-inflicted. There is other suffering that is simply random. Things happen. And if there is a reason for it, we will not discern that in his lifetime.
But our author was concerned with suffering that was the result of following the ways of Jesus. The simple truth is that when we follow the ways of Jesus, there are some who will be threatened by it. Because the ways of Jesus call for generosity, and there are more than a few people of means that resist generosity with all they are being. And the way of Jesus calls for a setting aside pride and power, and there are people who are proud of their power and have no wish to let it go. The ways of Jesus call for compassion, and there are so many people in the world who vastly prefer to judge.
Is it any wonder that those who follow Jesus may find themselves suffering for it?
I can only echo these ancient words. Do the best you can to follow Jesus. Do the best you can to be generous and to be kind. Do the best you can to set aside your power. Do the best you can to face the consequences. Hopefully you will not be brought up in front of judges and tribunals as happened to all too many Christians over the centuries.
Hopefully, the only judge that you will stand before is the one who gave you the directions to do what you’ve done: Jesus, our Lord, our judge, and especially our Redeemer.
That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.