1 Peter 3:8-12
Summing up: Be agreeable, be
sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all
of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm.
Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also
get a blessing.
Whoever wants to embrace life
and see the day fill up with good,
Here’s what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
run after peace for all you’re worth.
God looks on all this with approval,
listening and responding well to what he’s asked;
But he turns his back
on those who do evil things.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
Lots
of nights, Greg and I settle in to watch the 10:00 p.m. news broadcast,
and we ask each other, “What is your day like tomorrow?” Sometimes, we
have no concrete plans...other days are chock-full of activities and a
mile-long “to-do” list. Mondays are often busy for Greg...he delivers
Meals on Wheels and has lunch with his mom...and sometimes he runs
errands for her or helps her with a project – or he works in her yard.
Mondays are often cleaning days for me...both household chores and
laundry duty! But sometimes, we have no clue what the day will
bring...or who we will encounter or what activities will present
themselves. And we know that “life” is subject to change, so we try to
always be flexible.
I will tell you, I don’t know anyone who is
more appreciative of my efforts than my husband. He always thanks me
for clean laundry, hot meals, and the things I do around the house. And
I try to express my appreciation for HIS efforts too...how well he
manages our bills and finances, takes care of the maintenance and upkeep
of our house, yard and vehicles - and all of the countless things he
does for our nieces and nephews and me! We are blessed by his
efforts, and I know it! I will also be the first to say that Greg does a
better job of “living agreeably” than I do. He is more thoughtful and
careful about his words...and rarely - if ever - offers sarcasm or a
retaliatory comment to anyone. He operates so fully in grace and
mercy...and others notice!
I was struck by a couple of sentences
in this scripture passage...particularly the one that talked about no
retaliation or sarcasm...and especially when Peter says,
“...bless...that’s your job, to bless”! So whether I am folding
our laundry or responding to e-mail messages, I am to bless. Whether
Greg is mowing the yard, washing our car, or delivering a hot meal to a
homebound elderly person, he is to bless. Whether you are sitting in a
classroom amongst your peers or working at a summer job, staying at home
all day with babies and toddlers, working at a job you don’t
particularly enjoy, or living alone as a single senior, your job is to
bless – however, wherever, and whenever you can.
If we focused on
just this one phrase, imagine how our lives could change. If we
reminded ourselves that we were to bless others and be a blessing to
them in every situation, our language, thought process and actions would
surely change in many instances. If we responded to others totally in
the context of how we could bless them, rather than raise our hackles
over their demeanor, words or actions, we might see amazing, unexpected
changes. And truthfully, it doesn’t matter how they respond, as long as
we are obediently serving God by blessing them in His name. I’m not
talking about becoming doormats for others’ abuse...I’m talking about
showing them grace, mercy, humility and compassion in the name of Jesus.
So
let’s see where this takes us. Let’s start here...now...today...and
make our primary focus – our main job – to bless. Let’s embrace life
and see the day fill up with good. Let’s avoid hurtful talk and
actions, snub evil, and run after peace for all we are worth...and let’s
let God handle the rest! If we start looking at every day, ordinary
activities as opportunities to bless others in Jesus’ name, the
possibilities are absolutely endless...and so are the potential rewards –
for everyone involved. Whaddya say? Are you with me?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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