Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Peter 4:12-17 (New International Version)

¹²Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. ¹⁷For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

At many times in my life I have heard sermons and class discussions about these verses. The topics were how we as Christians suffer because we are Christians. Look at the verses

14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed

16 if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name

Somehow we take pride in that we suffer for being Christians. We tend to go out of our way to invoke insults and suffering so that we can claim the blessing of verse 14 and praise God as in verse 16. I think we do this too much. I think we stretch these words of Peter at bit too far.

I can recall times in my life when my supervisor at work encouraged me to live with a woman when I wasn’t married to her. I can recall times when my supervisor encouraged me to get drunk with the boys now and then to build teamwork. I can stretch these instances and claim that I suffered in my career because I was a Christian and wouldn’t go along with these things.

Then I read a story like this one. Doctors in Afghanistan were killed. They were out in villages providing free medical assistance for people suffering eye diseases. The Taliban claimed credit for the killings.

The Taliban quickly asserted responsibility for the killings, saying the medical workers were “foreign spies” and were spreading Christianity.

Those people suffered for being Christian.

In America today, no one has ever threatened my life because I believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Anointed one, the Son of God. No one has told me to renounce this Jesus as my Lord and Savior or else… Have I ever suffered as a Christian? I doubt it. People in China, Cuba, North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan – people there to this day suffer as Christians.

I receive many blessings from God every day. I don’t need to claim the blessing of 1 Peter 4 as an extra. Thank you God that I don’t.