1 Peter 2:14-17

Summary: Peter continues with guidelines, this time about relationships: honor everybody. Your family of believers, strangers, and especially the authorities. 

Response: "Except when the other team is in office, right?" Nope. "I'll respect the office, but not the holder..." Nuh-uh. "If the law is unjust..." You can tell this is weighing on me. This is not easy!

Of course you're entitled to your own political opinion, and of course it matters who is in office. Our society is quick to attach ideas to people, for people to attach ideas to themselves, and for nasty fights to break out as a result. 

If I am really changed by a God who did all the stuff we just mentioned in the first chapter and a half, that should not be my story. We should be able to identify the needs of the least in our society and shamelessly give of ourselves to them. 

I am very imperfect at this. I have strong opinions and love watching a debate like it was a boxing match. I am so busy trying to give my own children a good life that I leave almost no time to change the world around me. And that may be over-selling it, but I can't in a clear conscience say that I've got all this in the bag. Before I'd accuse anyone else with these verses (which is what my brain wanted to do first!), I need God to work on me first. 

Lord, keep slowing me down. Pull me out of the white noise of my phone. Help me to see not only the needs of my young family in front of me, but the students and colleagues I'm about to see each day. Give me the strength and grace and words to follow through on what You call me to do.

1 Peter 2:11-12

Summary: A quick paragraph here, Peter highlights again a believer's behavior, because it could either hurt your soul or your witness. 

Response: I feel like I've seen both firsthand. Lord, help me to follow You and Your peace in my circumstances today. 

1 Peter 2:4-10

Summary: Peter sets up a dichotomy or two: the world calls believers useless and unwanted, but God sees us as chosen and priceless. Jesus Himself is a stumbling block for those who do not accept Him, but the cornerstone and foundation for those who do. 

Response: We're moving a bit from perspective to action here. First, we're called to "offer spiritual sacrifices." Also, we're supposed to "proclaim the virtues" of God. I'm not sure at first reading what either of those looks like, and I'm going to go look it up. 

...

Okay, I'm back. How I understand it, or one way to understand it, the first part is wrapped in this idea that we are living stones, making a structure together. What we sacrifice is our independence. It's not much of a wall if the bricks keep changing around. But we gain being part of something more. 

The second one is very similar. We're in this arrangement not for our own glory, but to join our voices together in praise. In short, it's not about me, and not about us together, either. Lord, help me to give myself up more. 

1 Peter 2:1-3

Summary: Peter gives 'don't's and 'do's: he lists ways words can be used to trick and wound, and wants to replace then with God's Word. 

Response: Like a youth pastor strumming a guitar, Peter makes some wordplay about salvation. I will say that this little section makes the last one make more sense. I know that the verses and chapters were put in after writing, so it may be easier to understand as a whole. And I mean, I do appreciate this level of the wordplay, I just had to sort it out first. Lord, keep me patient and disciplined as I try to make a habit of studying Your Word. 

1 Peter 1:22-25

Summary: Peter continues to explain our place as believers in the world, and it gets more church words-y: we obey the truth to purify our souls so we can show sincere mutual love. He also compares human longevity (short) to God's (long) with a grass seed analogy. 

Response: I'll be honest, this one is missing me. It might be my devotions partner this morning, a toddler who wants to tumble around a couch. It might be that this will make more sense connected to the next phrase. I don't know. Lord, help me to understand. I know that not every verse is for immediate use; help me to keep this word in the back of my head to reach for later. 

1 Peter 1:13-21

Summary: Peter concludes his opening statement: since we are indeed God's people, chosen by Him and sacrificed by Him for us, we should reflect that sober sacrifice in our daily lives. Peter then goes back to clarify the sacrifice part, comparing it to a ransom, but paid in Christ's blood. 

Response: Listen, I'm a member of the Church of the Nazarene. I'm used to calls to temperance. And I actually don't drink (there's reasons, it's fine if you do). But what I hear in this passage speaking to me is, "don't treat this sacrifice flippantly. Look at all He did for you." Lord, help me to not just know Your story, but to feel and appreciate Your sacrifice. May it continue to change the way I live my life.

1 Peter 1:10-12

Summary: Peter recounts to his audience that, prior to Jesus' life on earth, people studied Scripture intently to piece together how salvation would come. 

Response: They didn't do it for themselves, but for a later generation, giving their descendants in faith something angels don't even get to see. Lord, I am often selfish. Help me to pour myself into the next generations of believers, that Your kingdom would grow and flourish. 

1 Peter 1:3-9

Summary: More church words, let's unscramble them. Peter exclaims praise to God (like a big "Yeah!" that just kind of pops out). He describes his readers' salvation: how they have been set up for eternal life (God sent Jesus, who was raised from the dead, and we have faith in Jesus that He will save us from death), and how we feel about that (even in the face of great trials, having a constant and inexplicable joy, a hope for the future). 

Response: Phew, that was a lot to unpack. And it's about one of my favorite topics, salvation. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful. It's just that I always feel like there's more to do here. Maybe that's a trap set for me. Maybe I'm feeling guilty about wasting time here. Lots of things can be possible at the same time.

All the same, if I do stop long enough to truly think about life after death (and not, y'know, my own schedule, my spouse, my kids, extended family, job, church work, the world around me...), it does sound exciting. I'm not sure what it will look like (and that's okay with me! I don't have to have it all figured out), but I know I'll be with the One who has cared for me this whole time, and that will be more than enough. Lord, help me to catch an eternal perspective, at least from time to time.

1 Peter 1:1-2

[I'm back for now. I need this!]

Summary: Peter greets and identifies his audience. On the one hand, they are, as followers of Jesus, spread out and out of place among the general Roman world, almost like Jews outside of Israel. On the other hand, they are chosen, set apart, and equipped for this service with grace and peace. 

Response: I did not think I would stop here! I thought I'd just barrel on through the formalities and call it good. But there's a bit to chew on here, and I don't want to miss any of these two short books. (I'm going through 1&2 Peter, by the way, having recently gone through Mark, which is kind of Peter's Gospel as well.)

So I definitely appreciate what I find as perspective. Knowing what context you find yourself in helps you know how to act and what to expect. Peter sets his audience up first with a cynical view (cast to the winds, basically), but then makes sure we know we are where we are on purpose. I'll personalize it. I am in my right place. You are in your right place.

And not just that, but Peter prays for us to have "grace and peace." I am becoming wary of lists of "church-y" words like these because my brain glosses right over them and replaces their true meaning with a more general "good feeling from God." Let's fight that. Grace, being forgiven for when we stumble out in the world. We're going to mess up. We... I need to recognize when that happens and seek grace out. Peace, forgiving the world when makes us stumble. I need to be slow to react and seek out peace. Whether it's coming from without or within, I am less effective as a Christ follower when I am enveloped in chaos. 

Lord, help me to seek You out. I want to be in this world and equipped by You to do Your will. My will is small and aimless. Let me be a part of Your bigger picture, not apart from it.