April 25, 2003

21. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:"  Peter 2:21-23

We can’t control how other people treat us but we can control how we respond to them.  Jesus gave us an example here of how to respond when we are treated unjustly.

When Jesus was reviled that means that He was blamed for something and criticized.  It means that others brought shame and disgrace upon Him.  It means they were finding fault and scolding.  We know that Jesus had no fault in Him.  He never sinned.  We know that He was unjustly accused and condemned.  But we read here that when He was reviled, He reviled not again.  He didn’t respond back to them harshly.  He didn’t retaliate.  When He suffered, He didn’t threaten them.

But what did He do?  He committed Himself (or His cause), to Him who judges righteously.  He turned Himself and His cause over to His Heavenly Father.  We know that our Father is the ultimate Judge.  And He will judge righteously.

It’s one thing to suffer some criticism when we’ve done wrong.  If we’ve made a mistake and messed up then we can deal with other people’s criticism, even though we may not like it.  But when we have not done anything wrong and we are being criticized or ridiculed then that’s a little different.  1 Peter 2:20 says, "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently?  But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."

It’s one thing to take some stuff when we’ve done wrong but when we do well and suffer for it the tendency may be to want to retaliate back and put the other person in their place.  We may not feel like waiting for the One who judges righteously, we may want to dish out some judgment and criticism of our own right then and there!

But Jesus, as our example, showed us how to handle those situations.  He committed the whole thing over to the Father.  And you know that He didn’t hold bitterness in His heart either because that would be sin, and He never sinned.  So to truly commit ourselves and our cause over to the Father means that we sincerely do so from our heart.  It means that we truly forgive and don’t hold any bitterness in our heart.  Our flesh wants to say, "O.K. I’ll turn it over to the righteous Judge" and then we stand by hoping and praying for God to zap them any minute!

Remember to do these three things when you are treated unfairly:

1. Keep your own behavior perfect, including the attitude of your heart.
2. Don’t react harshly in return or threaten in any way.
3. Commit yourself and your cause to your Heavenly Father who judges righteously.