Do Good And Suffer

For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. [1 Peter 2.21]

Yeah, that "example" thing makes it tough, right? But why should we have a problem with Peter making this statement (Peter, who walked with Christ as a disciple)? Jesus is on record of saying this clearly in three of the four Gospels:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Mark 8.34]

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. [Luke 9.23]

Jesus suffered for doing good. It infuriated the religious elite of the day. How dare He presume to do "good" when He was not a member of their kind? And, how dare He claim to be in such standing with God as to make Himself equal with God?

And it was this same Jesus Who Himself told His followers to follow His example. Oh yes, it includes doing mighty miracles, but it also includes suffering the pushback following those miracles from those proud individuals and groups who don't wish to be "outdone."

If they persecuted Jesus for doing good, they will persecute us for doing good. In fact, we might even measure the good we do by the persecution we suffer for doing it... Ouch.

It is not often I suffer for doing good.

Father, when I consider what Peter states in the opening scripture above (emphatically supported by Jesus Himself), I can only confess my waywardness and ask You to forgive my worldliness, faithlessness, and selfishness.