1 Peter 3:17
It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
From the time we are little kids we are told, that if we treat others
nicely.....they will treat us nice in return. If we extend favor, we
will receive favor in return.....and all is good, until it is not.
I think we all understand (may not like) but do understand when we dabble in the world of "evilness"
that there are consequences....and we do suffer. If we lie, no matter
the reasons, and get caught, if we steal, if we have an affair, if we
gossip, if we cheat, if we. .............. our trustworthiness
suffers....our character. Our witness. We may loose friends, family
members or our livelihoods.....but we loose due to a choice that we
personally make. We loose due to consequences of our actions.
But what if we suffer while we are doing good? What if we consciously
choose to do good.....and still we suffer. And what if....it is God's
will? From a worldy perspective, it doesn't make sense at all. From
every realm, screams of unfairness resonate within us..... But I didn't
deserve this. But I was trying to help. But I was doing good.....and
you probably were.... Suffering because of doing good doesn't negate
the goodness within the action.....not at all. Our behavior in response
to the suffering may....but the suffering itself will not.
So
again, we are back to ourselves and how we choose to respond. If we
have truly done the act of goodness for simply as service to our
Father.....a job well done from Him should be plenty......and suffering
from that job well done for the kingdom should encourage us not hinder
us. Satan masquerades trying to prevent goodness....he does. How better
to throw us off base than to cause "badness" to be heaped upon our
goodness? How better to stop us than to insult our very motives?
Unless, we stand at all times ready, armed and clothed in
Righteousness...... Then and only then, will sticks and stones not
matter and God will reveal them as the lies they simply are.....
Do goodness today.....and expect suffering in return.
No comments:
Post a Comment