Stranger ThingsSample

Life Isn’t Fair

Peter is writing this letter to a group of Christians living in constant fear under the brutal persecution of the evil Roman Emperor, Nero. You would think that under those circumstances, he would try to put a positive spin on things or tell them to “buck up” or that “things will get better…just hang in there.” If ever there was a time for a letter filled with “Cat Poster” slogans, this was it. Instead, Peter simply owns the fact that life is unfair, bad things happen to good people, and often we are forced to suffer under injustices that we don’t understand. Uplifting, right?

But what Peter does instead is so profound and ingenious! He points to Jesus as our model for how to deal with authority in our lives – even those we don’t agree with or that are outright wicked. Jesus was put on a ridiculously unjust trial, was falsely accused with no one to defend Him, and was ultimately sentenced to death based on the whims of a misled crowd and one governor’s desire to keep them happy. If ever someone could complain about suffering injustice, it was Jesus. And yet, he endured it with quiet dignity, He prayed for the people putting Him through this, and He willingly suffered for each and every one of us. In light of that, Peter argues, we can bear up under whatever trials we face, knowing that God will be pleased and will ultimately bless us for staying true to our convictions. 

So, what trials have you been facing? What authority in your life seems totally out of control and unreasonable? Final question: have you been dealing with that issue or those people according to the model Jesus laid out for us? It is tempting to be indignant, to fight back, to argue…but Peter reminds us that the way Jesus would handle that situation is much different. In what ways do you need to adjust your attitude and your actions to line up with Jesus?