1 Peter 2:15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

I’m currently reading The Untold Story of the New Testament Church, by Frank Viola, and it gives some somewhat horrifying context to this passage. Slavery was an unquestioned part of society, and it had essentially no racial component at all. From verse 18 Peter is expressly addressing slaves, which most translations dress up as “servants.” The point of this verse is that regardless of your social standing, your actions should so reflect Christ that your critics end up with nothing to say. Saying that this is the will of God is a very strong statement, immediately bringing to mind Paul’s words to the Thessalonians: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) We may have questions as to what God’s will for us is in specific instances, but we have no reason to be unsure when it comes to our overall lifestyle. Peter and Paul are in total agreement! The devil loves to slander us (after all, his name means “accuser”) but we are to live so that our lifestyles expose the slander for what it is, and we are to be grateful to God in the process. Everyone’s circumstances are different in various ways, but we can have total assurance that God desires these things of us, whatever form they might take in our particular case. Many things in our lives are totally beyond our control, but these are things that are subject to our choice, and God will hold us accountable for them.

I have experienced slander, and by God’s grace the person doing it was eventually ashamed. I have experienced many things for which rejoicing and giving thanks had to be a very conscious choice, and sometimes a completely illogical one, but every time I have made that choice and acted on it, God has blessed remarkably. Right now I am rather naturally rejoicing that ESWL lithotripsy reduced my kidney stone from 6mm to 3mm, so the stent running from my bladder to my kidney could be removed, but the stone is still there, so I am to rejoice and be grateful that it will ultimately be dealt with God’s way in His timing. I certainly rejoice that in my running around to hospitals yesterday I ran into a lady we haven’t been able to connect with for several months, as well as a brother I haven’t seen in a couple of months. I found out the lady has metastatic cancer, and I was able to speak God’s love to her, though she is not yet a believer. I know God wants her to have the opportunity to commit to Jesus as Lord while she is here. The brother has likewise been hospitalized for a while and is glad to be out, and anxious to get back to church. In all my interactions I am to act as Christ’s representative, sharing His love, grace, and truth with all who will receive it, ignoring the negative voices and circumstances and resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in my Lord, just as He told me to do.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You indeed for those two appointments You had for me, as well as my appointment for the doctor to remove the stent. Help me not overdo things, but flow with Your Spirit on Your schedule at all times, as a good steward of the body, abilities, and opportunities You give me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!