I Peter 3:13-17 (NRSV) 13 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do
what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right,
you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear,
and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as
Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an
account of the hope that is in you; 16yet do it with gentleness and
reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so
that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in
Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing
good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.
Conflict is a part of life.
Misunderstandings arise. Accusations fly. Feelings blaze out of control - or
smolder just beneath the surface. Sometimes when conflict arises we need to be
able to share in a quiet and confident way why we are living the way we live,
how we are moved and motivated by the grace and love of Christ to do what we
are doing. Simple goodness, and a firm but polite response can disarm a lot of
misunderstanding and diffuse a lot of conflict.
If our conscience is
clear, it does not make any real difference what others accuse us of or what
they say we have done. A person with a clear conscience will gladly hear and will
be open and receptive to change. But, for example, if we talk to an alcoholic
about his or her drinking, they will probably get defensive, and even make us
feel like we are the one who has the problem. They get defensive because their
conscience is not clear. To have a clear conscience means that there is a
willingness to see where we have been at fault, where we have been responsible,
where we have made a mistake, and where to make amends - not just with words
but also with actions. People with a clear conscience do not get defensive.
They live with a readiness to acknowledge where they have been wrong and to do
what they can to make things right. They deal with conflict and accusation in a
clear, straightforward way.
Do not be afraid of those
who accuse you and complain against you, but respond to them out of a
respectful fear of Christ. Do not fear your accusers and complainers. They can
make you suffer. They can cause you to make less money. They can cause you to
lose your job. They can make life hard on you. But they cannot harm you. They
cannot destroy the peace of your soul. They cannot stop God’s plan and purpose
for your life. Fear Christ as Lord, and you will really have nothing to fear.
It is a paradox, but one many of us have experienced.
Have you ever been in awe of someone, a parent a teacher, a coach? Have you ever had such respectful awe, such a high regard for someone that your greatest fear is to disappoint them, to fail them? It is that kind of fear that Peter is talking about, and it is that kind of fear that keeps us from worrying about or being fearful of anything or anyone else. The more we know of Christ’s love for us, and His commitment to us and His care for us, the more we are prepared to deal with conflict, complaints, and accusations.
From a sermon preached by
Henry Dobbs Pope May 12, 1996
Copyright Rhonda Hinkle
Mitchell (Broyles)
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