20 DECEMBER

 LIVE RIGHT

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” (1 Peter 3:8, NIV)

The purpose of Peter’s letter is to encourage Christians who are experiencing persecution and challenge them to live holy and exemplary lives, looking unto Jesus as our hope. In this verse, Peter summarises his exhortation with five key characteristics expected of believers. Primarily, we should live in harmony – not necessarily that we should be in total agreement on all things and methods but we should pursue the same spiritual goals and seek God’s guidance to achieve them.

Secondly, just as we all love and expect sympathy at challenging times, so we must be responsive to one another’s emotional and physical needs. Believers must love and treat one another as brothers and sisters, especially by praying for one another, bearing one another’s burdens, forgiving one another, admonishing in love, and building up one another on our most holy faith.

We have to be compassionate by showing care and mercy to brethren in distress, act in ways and give necessary things to bring relief and succour, weep with them that weep for the loss of goods, relations, etc. Being compassionate also involves feeling and showing concern for brethren who have fallen into immorality, error or heresy and endeavour to restore them to the faith in a spirit of meekness and tenderness.

Finally, in humility we have to be willing to encourage others and rejoice in one another’s success, remembering always that God exalts the humble.

ACTION: Go over the five characteristics expected of believers in our text, and see how you fare in each.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to relate with my fellow believers in ways that honour and glorify you.