“An unwelcome message, to say the least”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Saturday, December 2, 2023

1 Peter 4:7-19 (Forward, p. 34) CEV p. 1280

Much of the fourth chapter of 1 Peter dwells upon the question of suffering, of suffering simply because we are Christians. I’m not sure about you, but this idea is anything but pleasant or welcome to me. It is not something that most of us relish or look forward to. And yet, Peter extolls it and waxed eloquent about its benefits and blessings. So, then, what are we, especially we in the cozy, ‘protected’ Western world, to make of this? (I say, ‘protected’’, because, for the most part, we are not subject to much in the way of direct or overt suffering on account of being Christians. However, that may indeed change!)

First off, let me say that nowhere does Peter say that suffering is to be sought after for its own sake. That was, indeed, the stance taken by many Christians over the centuries when people either chose to be martyrs or chose to live in such a socially disruptive way as to invite opposition or persecution. However, such is not what Peter is suggesting.

Secondly, Peter is in no wise speaking of the ‘suffering’ that we endure and encounter simply as part of life, as part of being human. He is not speaking of illness or disease or bodily ailments, the like of which we are all subject to whether Christian or not. And he is not speaking of the social tensions or difficulties or disruptions that once again are simply part of life. Having ‘difficult’ neighbours or relations, or having ‘issues’ with them, are just part of our existence as humans. No, Peter is talking about those things that come our way because we are Christians!

So then, what are we to ‘take’ from this chapter? Verse one starts off by saying something that may sound to us as being utterly ludicrous. It says, “Now you must be ready to suffer as he [Christ] did, because suffering shows that you have stopped sinning.” Really, have we stopping sinning, just because we are now suffering? Is this saying that we have now reached a state of sinless perfection? No, it is simply saying that a sinful lifestyle, sinful choices, have now been subsumed in simply trying to follow Christ and do His will. And it is those lifestyle choices, in and of themselves, that ‘may’ result in some pushback. They may make us, in effect, ‘strangers’ to this world and its values.

Here, I cannot help but think of ‘Dangerous’, DC Davies, in the television series, ‘The Last Detective/’. Much to the consternation and discomfort of his fellow police officers, Davies is persistent and conscientious in his investigations, never allowing himself to take the easy or quick route—as the others do—and never ceasing in his pursuit of the truth of the case. For that, he suffers the practical jokes and derision of most of his workmates and is treated as an outsider and pariah by them. In the end, however, he earns their grudging respect. To me, he models the integrity of character and behaviour that should befit all Christians. Here, in today’s passage, Peter is perhaps warning us all that our consistency in living the Christian way, and our dedication to it and its morals and principles, might too lead to some pushback from those who don’t appreciate them, and yes, even some kind of suffering.

Indeed, Peter is preparing us for a possible future. (Yes, we may well escape any overt suffering for our faith, but even so, we need to be forewarned). He tells us that we need each other, need to love each other, serve each other, and support each other in whatever we go through. Our example, and our ‘standing in solidarity with them’, will be of infinite help. This may indeed be an ‘unwelcome message’ but is still one that we need. Amen.

Forward notes: “Like good steward of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received” (verse 10).

“One autumn Sunday at my church, the chair of the stewardship campaign presented a batch of burnt gingerbread cookies decorated with blobs of blue icing. ‘I knew that I should bake cookies for you today,’ she said as the cookie sheet circulated, ‘because I wanted to prove a point.’ She told us she had the distinction of being the only mother at her son’s school who was asked not to contribute to bake sales.

“I thought I understood her point: even if we can’t do something well, we should push through and contribute anyway. I came to realize that she meant something quite different: if you can’t bake, leave baking to the bakers. Find the skills you do well—and all of us have them—and offer the fruits of those gifts.

“Like these words from Peter, this stewardship leader understood that when all people give freely of their talents and their resources, the result is a healthy community.”

Moving Forward: “What gifts have you received that you can offer to the community?”