1 Peter 3 -- Suffereing For Good

The beginning of this chapter starts on a subject many are afraid to handle nowadays in the Western world. This hesitancy comes in part because of how the short passages have been lived out. Often the focus is heavily upon the role of the wife to submit. This is short sighted for two reasons, one there is plenty of evidence in the scriptures that husbands have some work to do as well. The second is our understanding of submission. We have taken the word to mean a form of weakness. This is not the original intent, it means yielding to a husband, but not simply allowing whatever the husband wants.

However that is not the focus today. This idea of suffering for doing good. Few things fly in the face of modern Western culture more than the concept of suffering for doing good. Evidence is seen early in life when we are encouraged to do the right thing in classrooms and school yards. While there might be some accolades from teachers, much suffering comes at the hands of peers for those who are the "good" kids. Rarely is doing good or the right thing rewarded in our culture. Yet the prevailing thought of many is if I do good things, I should get rewarded.

Peter tells us that we do in fact get rewarded, but it is a different kind of reward. Like Noah, our reward is from an eternal perspective not an earthly one. I cannot imagine the ridicule and out right persecution Noah faced as he was building the ark. I am sure Noah suffered for doing what was right and what God called him to do. The same is true today. The culture we live in has a distorted view of what is good and right, and often in conflict with the call of God. When we begin to follow God more than culture, we will suffer. The reality is we are all going to suffer in some form, why not suffer for doing what is godly and eternal?

Doing the good and right thing might be difficult. We must still however, continue to do it. Additionally we must not look around us for encouragement and support, sometimes our only support in doing good is from God. May we be found as people of God doing what is right.