Suffering for Right

There is joy in suffering for the right thing.

June 12, 2018

"But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled."

1 Peter 3:14

Have you ever watched a toddler being obnoxious to all the other toddlers, and then when one of them retaliates the little guy goes running to mom wanting sympathy?  Likewise, it is easy to feel like “everyone” is picking on me, when in reality I’m just being payed back for my picking…  Peter teaches that there are both good and bad reasons to suffer (1 Peter 2, 3), and if you are going to suffer be sure that you are suffering for God.

The first thing we need to think about in our verse for today is that God’s people do suffer (Matthew 5:10; 2 Timothy 3:12).  As we walk through this life “doing good” for others some may not appreciate it.  In fact it’s possible to do all the right things for someone and then for them to treat us badly.  Yes, “to have our good be evil spoken of,” and to have people throw our “good” deeds back into our faces.  To be mistreated.  And the mistreatment is not for any bad thing we have done, but simply because we have done a good thing for the Lord, but that person hates the Lord, rejects us, and treats us scornfully because of it.  This is “suffering for righteousness sake.”  This kind of suffering is normal in the believer’s life.

When we have the privilege of “suffering for right” there are three things that we need to remember:

1.  You are “happy!”  Remember why you are suffering, it is for the Lord.  Augustine said it is, “not the suffering, but the cause for which one suffers, makes the martyr.”1  Don’t let the suffering be your focus, but keep your eyes on the reason and the One you are suffering for.

2.  Do not “fear!” “Be not afraid of their terror.”  The very things they do to you are the things that cause them to fear.  By life or by death the Lord will take care of you, do not fear!

3.  Do not let is “agitate” you!  “Neither be troubled.”  You have God’s smile, you are not afraid and you are not letting this get you all worked up.  God will take care of you!

Don’t be the obnoxious brat who is making trouble for the sake of making trouble.  But, everywhere you go doing right, you can expect some not to appreciate what you are doing for the Lord and want to get back at you.

Suffering for right, is right!

 

 

1.  Jamison-Fausset-and Brown Commentary, electronic version, in eSword.