Author Archive: joe

Now there's a hard thing to do, especially when they have gotten your goat and your thoughts are of pushing them off a cliff! Impossible you say! Be honest, there are people that just rub you the wrong way. Sometimes it seems that their goal in life is to aggravate you (or me). They are intent in their mission – whether it's their mannerisms or the "off the wall" comments they make or their squeeky, whiney voice – it drives you crazy.

Then, there are the words that make you feel like dirt!

Yet, there is Peter, who says "bless them." [more]

Considering Peter's early days with Jesus, you have to wonder where he got the coolness he wants other believers to have. After all, wasn't it Peter who just whacked off that guys ear? And remember Peter trying to tell Jesus to "forget this 'I'm going to suffer' stuff." That was the old Peter before he learned that he was not the greatest person in the world – before the wind got knocked out of his sails – before God showed him that people other than Jews were OK.

Now he says to us "be different." Maybe he needed to write a book on "How Jesus Changed Me" that would have made the best sellers list. All Peter is saying is "Treat people different." The message from Jesus about "turning the other cheek" finally got through and he wants us to hear it again and again.

"Don't be like them – bless people instead" is his message in chapter 3. Let the evil doer do their evil, but don't return it in kind. Let them insult you, but don't get in a "dissing" war. "Bless them."

Easy for him to say…maybe I need to look at what a blessing is. More about that next time.

Couldn't help but see things as I read the end of chapter two in First Peter.

[html]<ul><li>An insult contest with a big red "X" across the screen. Peter was trying to get us to imagine a person (Jesus) who was insulted and degraded, but did not respond "in kind." It takes a lot of God in a person to not respond.

<li>Marchers in Selma and other places in the South were abused, beaten and hosed, but did not turn and attack the perpetrators, set fires, destroy homes and businesses; rather, they endured the punishment, out of which came freedom for so many others. Some of these are very vivid because they happened in my lifetime.[more]

<li>Strong man contests on TV, with powerful legs and backs carrying barrels or pulling trucks. Even watching, my mind could sense the pain that they must be enduring – after all, when was the last time I pulled a car or truck; or how many boxes have I lifted lately. Yet, there was a man carrying a cross made of wood. At least an eight by eight and probably twelve feet long. That was one heavy hunk of wood.

<li>Sheep wandering all over the field – "la-de-da". No cares in the world. Nibbling their way to the next blade of grass. And all the time, a shepherd off to one side making sure they were safe from wolves and other dangers. We can come back to the safety of the Shepherd – if we want to.
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Maybe the big picture is this – there is Someone who cares deeply for us and wants to keep us safe. For that to happen, we have to let Him have control of our lives or we'll be like those wandering sheep.