I can still hear my mother telling me, “Respect your elders.” She meant people in authority like my teachers, the police, the pastor, and, of course, my parents. At the time, I had no idea this was a Biblical concept. Peter expands this for us, “For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed.”
I don’t intend to make this political, but we should pray for our government’s leaders, whether we agree with them or not. Who are we to question what God allows in this world? Sadly, as you look at the world leaders today, finding a true man of God with a heart for God like King David is hard to find. Even King David had his faults and weaknesses.
Peter’s counsel can be hard to take, especially when we are frustrated with what we see happening in the world. Power struggles are evident and running rampant. Unfortunately, the selfish desires of humans do not turn off when we’re placed in positions of authority. We are all flawed.
What are some of the messages that spoke to you as you read the text today? Several highlights for me are how Peter reminds us about the non-believers that surround us, to respect everyone, and what it says about being slaves and enduring hardship. While I don’t consider myself a “slave,” we are all at the mercy of someone, and our response and behavior speak volumes.
Sometimes I forget that not everyone operates under the same mindset as I do. There are plenty of non-believers in our midst. When we are outspoken about our faith, those people tend to be watching as if they are trying to catch us doing something wrong. It’s funny, really, because non-believers don’t have the same values as we do as believers, so how could they possibly understand our motivations?
Our society has done a nice job of muddying those waters for us. It seems like everyone has their own idea of what a Christian should be and take delight in pointing out when we fall short. As I mentioned, we are all flawed. The difference between us Christians and the non-believers is that we know we need a Savior and trust him and his promises.
If we live our lives in a way that pleases God, according to our understanding of Scripture and His desires for us, we’re good. We’re setting a good example for the world. That’s what Peter cautions us here to do. As Christ-followers, we strive to be more Christ-like, and that is a fantastic example for all humans.
Respecting everyone seems a little daunting, but Peter is clear. “Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.” It’s tempting to want to try to defend ourselves when wronged or taken advantage of. I get the impression from Peter that it is better to “take the low road” and avoid confrontation. Our relationship with God is also clear here.
Don’t disregard the teaching to the slaves just because you don’t consider yourself a slave. God’s Word is always speaking truth. We might be slaves to our jobs or our relationships. When we feel we have been mistreated or misunderstood in some way, how are we supposed to respond? According to Peter, “God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment.” How about that! God is pleased with our endurance. The key we often miss is being “conscious of his will.” What does that mean?
We understand that God’s will would never be for us to endure pain. God’s will is perfect, and pain is not. God wants us to realize our pain is not from him. His perfect will for us is something much greater than we can even imagine. When we cling to that hope for our future, our time of suffering is lessened, at least to the degree we let that hope soften our pain.
What are you struggling with right now? Did this Bible passage help with some of that distress? We don’t have to like what we see happening in the world any more than God does. But we’re learning what we need to do to be good ambassadors for Him. When people look at you, do they see Jesus? That’s my hope and prayer for my daily faith journey.
Let’s pray. Lord Jesus, I am so glad you are in my life. I am so energized to get to know you and what your intentions are for me. Thank you for these timely words, and for the reminder that we are only temporary residents here anyway. Our eternal home is with you in your majesty. Thank you for what you have done to make that happen. Help me stand strong against the struggles of the world so that I can brightly shine with Your light. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
