When you were a child, did you have a role model that you remember? Most children have someone that they look up to. Sometimes it is a parent or an older sibling. Children might look to a sports figure, a Hollywood star, or maybe a rock musician as a role model. Today young people look to various social media influencers. However, it’s important that the role model influences the child in a good and positive way, and not in a wrong or sinful way. Role models aren’t only for children. Adults have them as well, and it’s important that we have the right person we are looking to pattern after. In our New Testament Scripture for this week we continue in reading from Peter’s first Epistle, and he reminds us of whose steps we should be following.
Our Scripture passage begins with Peter describing a scenario of times when we suffer ill treatment from others. Naturally, nobody likes to go through that. Our first reaction might be to lash out and give the person who treats us badly similar treatment. However, that is not how Peter instructs us to react. First, though, Peter says to be careful that the ill treatment that we are enduring is not a just punishment for our doing wrong (vs. 19-20). If what we are going through, or what has happened to us, is due to our own sinful behavior, we cannot justly complain about it. However, if we are suffering because of our faith in the Lord, Peter tells us it is commendable. Nobody will applaud us when we do wrong and suffer the consequences. But when we do what is right, and suffer for it with grace and patience, God applauds.
Suffering with grace and patience is not always easy to do. Often it is downright difficult. Our human reaction is to want to fight back. Perhaps give that person who is doing us wrong similar treatment. That’s where a good role model comes into play. How did our role models behave in similar situations? How did our parents or siblings react? There’s a good chance a sports figure, Hollywood star, or rock star’s example would leave much to be desired in giving a good pattern to follow. We’re likely to find an even worse example in some YouTube or TikTok influencer!
Peter tells us believers in these verses who our role model and example should be, and that is the Lord Jesus (vs. 21). Peter was a first hand witness of the unjust suffering that Jesus went through, and how He reacted when treated wrongly. As Peter said, Jesus committed no sin, nor did He say any wrong. How did Jesus react to the unjust treatment He endured? Peter reports that when His enemies reviled Him, abused and insulted Him, Jesus did not give back the same treatment. He did not threaten them, but instead, trusted in God (vs. 22-23). Jesus did not seek revenge for Himself.
When Jesus suffered the ultimate injustice of the cross, He entrusted Himself to the Father (vs. 24). Sometimes there are times when, as a believer, we have to endure unfair treatment. Can we follow the example of Jesus, and trust God when someone does us wrong? He is the example to follow. Jesus has come for us, and we can safely follow His steps.
Jesus is not only our pattern, He was also our substitute. He took and bore our sins when He went to the cross (vs. 24). Jesus is not only our pattern and substitute, but He is also our Shepherd and Overseer (vs. 25). We were like a flock of sheep without a shepherd. We were going every which way, lost and out in sin. Then the Lord Jesus came and rescued us, bringing us into His sheepfold. He is the only true Shepherd.
All who follow Jesus must be prepared to suffer for His sake. Our reaction should always be patterned after His. Jesus should be the role model whose steps we follow. Even the best of people will slip and fail us, but when we follow Jesus, our steps will never falter. Turn to Jesus and allow Him to lead the way. We will then emerge from our trials into His light.
No comments:
Post a Comment