Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
1 Peter 3:8:14
In the center of this passage, Peter hits on his key point “they must seek peace and pursue it.” Peace is not something that enters your life once you graduate your next grade level, or get the perfect house, or even retire. Peace is something that must be pursued every day. According to Peter peace does not mean avoiding suffering or strife. Instead, peace comes about through your response to suffering and strife. The natural response conflict, injury, or insult is to return it like a serve at a tennis match. Peter advises against this. The attitude of the believer when we are served such things is to respond in humility, love, and compassion. If you are a believer, you have received God’s blessing of salvation and relationship with Him! His word teaches us how to live out this blessing and receive a life of peace.
Dig Deeper
The quotation in the middle verses is from Psalm 34:11-14. Spend some time reading that chapter and comparing it with 1 Peter 3. Why do you think Peter choice to reference this particular passage? How did it strengthen his lesson to the churches?
Consider situations in your life that cause you stress or pain? How can you, with God’s help, alter your response to those situations?
