1 Peter 3

Today's reading comes from 1 Peter 3.

Wives and Husbands.

First Peter addresses the wives in this chapter. This chapter follows a passage on how employees should act in relation to their employers. Giving respect and honour, even if it seems that none is due. Also on how we live, shows people around us what Christians are really all about, and can be positively affected for Christ's sake.

LIKEWISE says Peter, wives are to be subject to their own husband. Not to everyone else's husband, but to their own. So just because someone else's husband wants me to always have shoes on my feet in church, MY husband doesn't care... so it's a non-issue for me. :) If he did care then it would be a different story. I'd have to find a way to work with it. But fortunately I don't have to. :)

Just as an employee's good conduct can be helpful in teaching an employer, a wife, especially one who's husband does not believe, by her respectful and good conduct, can win him over to the word of God.

I feel for women who are married to men who aren't believers. Being a believer encompasses so much of my life, not being able to really share that with my hubbie would be a very hard thing. So I sometimes wonder how women manage who can't share this part of their life with their hubbie. It must be hard. And to think that some women walk into it with their eyes wide open, while others are fooled. Either way, it's hard. We have a couple of women in our church in that situation, and it's hard with their children too. Do they follow mom in her beliefs, or do they follow dad? Both are good folks so does it really matter (this is what the children think)?

But I do find it neat that Peter points out that how these women reach their men is not by putting on a good show outwardly, but by putting on the things of Christ. They dress their inner person with a gentle and quiet spirit. They submit to their husbands, they give him respect, they do what is good and right. This is "in God's sight is very precious."

LIKEWISE Peter reminds the husbands also that they need to "live with your wives in an understanding way." They need to show honour to their wives.

Both wives and husbands are heirs of the grace of life. So when husbands treat their wives properly, their "prayers may not be hindered".

The Believers.

After addressing husbands and wives, Peter moves on to the whole body of the church. He reminds them

8Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

We need to be tender, united in mind, sympathetic, loving, humble, and blessors. We need to be zealous for doing good. We need to remember that there is no harm in doing what is right and good. But that even if we have to suffer for it, it is a thing of blessing.

We should not be afraid of suffering, but always hold Christ the Lord as holy. We should always be prepared to give an answer for why we have this hope within us. Our answer should always been given in a gentle and respectful way. We need to have a good conscience. If we do this, then when we are slandered and reviled, those who do so will be shamed for it.

This is why we should not be afraid of suffering:

17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, .... 21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Christ suffered for us, to bring us to God, we suffer for Christ, that our lives might win others for Christ. :) May all the glory be to him!