Promises of Peace #20

Whenever I open to I Peter, there is a seriousness that enters my heart and mind, as I know these words were written to believers who were truly suffering - not just the general trials of this life, but for their faith. In chapter 3 Peter reminds them, and of, of our calling:

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,
“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.

Here we see a brief summary of some of those characteristics of Christlikeness we saw the other day: sympathy, love, compassion, humility, forgiveness, a devotion to oneness - these are all a part of our calling as Christ-followers together.  And once again, special warning is given to beware the temptation for revenge; it is the great peace killer.  Peter then uses as the basis for his exhortation that Psalm we have seen twice: Psalm 34. introduced by these words: because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.  This is a promise to us as we live our this calling: Seek peace and pursue it, and we will find it: peace will be our blessing; we will love life; our days will be truly "good" - not easy, not without suffering or opposition, but meaningful, purposeful, and full of the presence of God. May you have a peaceful day.