For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. —1 Peter 3:17 (ESV)
This reading reminds me of one of my experiences six years ago after my first profession, when I was assigned to the boy’s orphanage in one of our ministries. For three years, I learned and experienced many things with the children.
We encountered each other by sharing our joys and happiness and even our sorrows. One thing that I always remember is that they were always grateful for everything that they had received, even small things, and that always made me happy.
One day, one of the high school boys came to me and shared his experiences in school. He was a nice boy and he was loved by many people. But this is also why he was always neglected by some of his friends in school. At the end of his sharing, he said, “it is really difficult being a good person.” When I reflected on this, I thought that everyone would agree.
Often, people in minorities experience injustice and intolerance in society, community groups, and in workplaces. They are often neglected, isolated, criticized, and whatever they do always rejected. Perhaps they will humanely rebel when treated unfairly, but they will choose to be silent because of their heavenly thoughts.
To be still and to yield does not mean to lose, but to gain power. Perhaps we have seen on television, we are often despised by certain groups because of our religion. They were greatly disturbed by the attitudes, actions, and behavior of God's good people. Self-righteousness will always be an individual burden, because rivalry and honor are often considered.
But we need not share the fear of those who insult us, but rather we should rejoice in suffering because of our hope in Christ. Through His suffering and death, Christ, the righteous one, saved the unrighteous from eternal death.
Just as Noah’s family was saved through the flood, baptismal bath is a public representation of a believer’s appeal to God for a clean conscience through personal faith in the resurrection of Jesus, which actually saves the believer. Through faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sins has been forgiven by the grace of God and we have a new life in Christ.
