Jack-In-The-Box-Pride

1 Peter 2:13–25; Psalm 130:1–131:3 It’s dangerous to become too confident in the maturity of our own faith. Our pride is like the spring of a jack-in-the-box: Just when we think it’s broken or that we’ve gotten the lid on tight, it springs back to life. It rears its ugly head, bobbing around like a circus fool. It’s so easy to get caught up in our own achievements—even when it comes to faith. We can grow in knowledge and then look down on others who still need to grow. The psalmist of Psa 131 presents the solution with a sure, succinct declaration. He fully submits to God’s order. He doesn’t wrestle with the things that don’t make sense—he is able to place these in God’s hand. His inner peace comes from total trust in God: “My heart is not haughty nor my eyes arrogant, And I do not concern myself with things too great and difficult for me. Rather I have soothed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother, like the weaned child is my soul with me” (Psa 131:1–2). Maturity of faith is found in childlike trust—trust that sees ourselves as small and God as mighty. Peter also speaks about peace that is a result of having faith that submits to God. Submission allows us to act wisely in a situation, all “for the sake of the Lord” (1 Pet 2:13). Doing good will silence the ignorant (1 Pet 2:15), and if we do good while enduring the mistreatment of others, God will show us His favor (1 Pet 2:20). Ultimately, it’s Christ who serves as the example of submission. Even while suffering and enduring abuse, Jesus “did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth” (1 Pet 2:22). Instead, He “entrusted himself to the one who judges justly” (1 Pet 2:23). Jesus’ act of redemption should be the focus of all our actions. While pride is rebellion against Him, forgiveness and grace through Christ are enough to drive us to the end of ourselves and send us into the haven of God’s love. His sacrifice eliminates the need to be prideful and self-seeking. It quiets our souls. How are you turning to Christ’s sacrifice in moments of pride?

Reframe It

1 Peter 2:1–12; Psalm 128:1–129:8 “ ‘Too often they have attacked me from my youth.’ Let Israel say, ‘Too often they have attacked me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me’ ” (Psa 129:1–2). As these verses show, sometimes problems can be solved by simply reframing the issue at hand. Peter makes a “reframing” move in his first letter. He could have focused on the people’s sin and their general need to repent, but then their attention would be on the problem, not solving it. So he shifts the focus: “Therefore, ridding yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn infants long for the unadulterated spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation” (1 Pet 2:1–2). Peter calls them to approach their relationship with Christ like a newborn would milk. They must make Christ such a priority that He becomes something they need and long for. And as they long, their sinful behavior will be resolved. Similarly, Peter addresses the people’s conflict with their culture as an opportunity for God to make them strong, like the stones used to build strong foundations: “And you yourselves, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 2:5). We can always choose where to place our attention. Often, we turn our attention toward preventing something (sin) at the cost of actually doing something good (growing in the Lord). If we keep our focus on our relationship with Christ, we can rise above our circumstances and find victory. “The blessing of Yahweh be upon you. We bless you in the name of Yahweh” (Psa 129:8). Reframing our lives makes way for blessing—it gives God room to do transformative work. What is God asking you to reframe? Where is your focus?

Surprise Redemption

1 Peter 1:20–25; Psalm 125:1–127:5 We often fail to be amazed at redemption. Perhaps we’re only dimly aware of our own failings—or (worse) we are blind to how amazing it is that God has shown us grace at all. In Psalm 126 the psalmist describes the joy that should come as a response to God’s redemption. In the past God’s restorative work had cast Israel into a state of surprised shock—they “were like dreamers” (Psa 126:1). They were filled with laughter and praise. His glory was present, and His redemption was a mighty witness to both the Israelites and the surrounding nations (Psa 126:2). But the psalmist quickly reveals that Israel is still in need of restoration. Likely taken into captivity, the people live in hope and anticipation that God will restore them once more: “Those who sow with tears shall reap with rejoicing. He who diligently goes out with weeping, carrying the seed bag, shall certainly come in with rejoicing, carrying his sheaves” (Psa 126:5–6). In his letter to early churches, Peter speaks about the hope that the prophets had foretold and the things that angels were curious about—the grace prepared through His Son (1 Pet 1:10–12). Peter tells them that this savior “was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has been revealed in these last times for you” (1 Pet 1:20). This surprise redemption is unlike any other. Its hope—Christ’s sure resurrection—gives us incredible security: We have been “born again, not from perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Pet 1:23). We should be awed by this incredible hope and respond with obedience, praise, and love for our neighbor (1 Pet 1:22). Are you awed by God’s grace?

Unity In Adversity

1 Samuel 22:1–23:29; 1 Peter 1:13–19 Distress can unite people. In difficult moments, in shared pain, we discover our true friends. When David fled from King Saul, his divided family was suddenly supportive of him, as was every man in the region who was distressed or indebted (1 Sam 22:1–2; compare 1 Sam 17:28–30). A shared sense of despair reveals the humanity in us all, helping us to get past our disputes and work together for one purpose. For a disjointed band of brothers to be united beyond initial circumstance, they must have one purpose. That’s precisely what David gave his motley crew: They would fight the Philistines (Israel’s greatest enemies) together (1 Sam 23:1–5). David took a terrible situation and turned it into an opportunity to do what needed to be done. As rightful king, David was obligated to protect Israel. Yet it still took outstanding courage and raw leadership to act upon that obligation. When most people would have been paralyzed by fear, David was prepared for action—and that marked him as Israel’s new leader. David’s strength in adversity enabled him to unite people for a cause, and his God-centered focus made him the ideal leader of God’s people. Peter’s remark in his first letter resonates with this idea: “When you have prepared your minds for action, by being self-controlled, put your hope completely in the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former desires you used to conform to in your ignorance” (1 Pet 1:13–14). The ignorance Peter addresses is sin. Although David was dealing with someone else’s sin, both he and Peter identify the same solution: Focus on God and His work. When things get difficult, we should be aware of how we are being subtly drawn away from God’s work. If we can stay focused on Christ, we can stay focused on God’s purposes. In return, we will find the ability to lead any motley crew toward redemption. Where is God calling you to lead? How can you shift your focus to be stronger in this task?

Eternal Hope

1 Peter 1:1–12; Psalm 121:1–122:9 We don’t often realize where we put our hope. We can seek sustenance, energy, or relief in the most transient, innocuous things—from our morning coffee to a vacation we’ve been anticipating for months. These things are not bad in themselves, but if they constantly serve as minor fixes in our daily lives, they can shift our focus. We can end up trading God’s help for caffeine and a few days in the sun. The trouble arises when we fail to see the complexity in our motives. The psalmist helps us look beyond what seems comforting and shielding: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains; whence will my help come? My help is from Yahweh, maker of heaven and earth” (Psa 121:1). The psalmist uses the hills and mountains to point us beyond what we can see to the true source of help and protection. These stationary shields seem to offer protection, but God is the true source of help and refuge in our often chaotic circumstances. He is constantly present—“your shade at your right hand” (Psa 121:5). In his letter to the churches in Asia Minor, Peter addresses the “various trials” the early church faced (1 Pet 1:6). He encourages the church members to endure trials and persecution, telling them they are “protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet 1:5). In the midst of trial, their faith in the resurrected Christ gave them the ultimate security and strength (1 Pet 1:4). They had hope through suffering. We think of trials on a grand scale—sickness and persecution. But we need to meet even daily trials with this same eternal hope. We need to constantly find relief, energy, and hope in God. Where do you seek relief, energy, and hope?

Oppressors, Victims And A Just God

Contemporary culture is often pegged as self-indulgent: We live in a have-it-now world, and we don’t always think about the repercussions of our actions. But when we read James’ letter to the early church, we find that self-indulgence isn’t a modern phenomenon. In his letter James addresses two groups of people. First, he reprimands the self-indulgent rich who live without thinking about the repercussions of their actions, either for others or for themselves. The day is coming when they will have to account for all their evil deeds: “Come now, you rich people, weep and cry over the miseries that are coming upon you!” (Jas 5:1). James presents them with a harsh picture of what they have been doing: “You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter” (Jas 5:5). They have behaved like animals; their judgment will come. James also writes to a second group: those who are oppressed. He encourages this group to be patient “until the coming of the Lord,” to exhibit the perseverance of farmers who wait for “the precious fruit of the soil” (Jas 5:7). He recognizes that often, when we’re oppressed or hurt, it’s difficult to avoid living in those wounds—they color our world and our interactions with others. We become bitter and selfish. James tells the oppressed: “do not complain against one another, in order that you may not be judged” (Jas 5:9). Both oppressors and victims put themselves in danger unless they repent and focus on God, who will set all things right. Self-indulgent, self-seeking living appears even in the smallest decisions of our lives. Or we act from a place of woundedness, and we fail to move on to forgiveness. God loves justice, and He gives hope to those who hope in Him. Examine your life, abandon your self-indulgence and your grievances, and seek the one who makes all things right and new. How can you leave your hurts at the cross? How can you move from self-indulgence to trust in God’s ability to make things right?

Moving Forward

1 Samuel 16:1–23; James 4:1–17 Moving on after a person, a hope, or a dream has died can be one of the most difficult challenges of life. It certainly was for Samuel. The prophet Samuel believed that God had chosen Saul as king, but Saul failed God and His people (1 Sam 15:10–35). Now God was ready to select a new king, but Samuel was dragging his feet. Moving forward meant readjusting his expectations about the future and about God’s work in general. God called him out on his hesitancy: “How long will you mourn about Saul? I have rejected him from king over Israel! Fill up your horn with oil and go” (1 Sam 16:1). Samuel had to learn that things rarely play out the way we think they will. We inevitably end up on a different path than we planned—whether because of our own actions or because God’s route turns in a direction we never anticipated. The key is recognizing the changes when they occur and preparing ourselves for a new reality. Clinging to misguided expectations can drive us into the ground, effectively driving God’s work out of us. Unlike Samuel, Saul’s problem was not that God sent him in a new direction. Saul created his own situation when he chose a different route—he disobeyed, and God responded by taking away from Saul what was his to steward but not to own: a kingdom. Saul’s story illustrates James’ statement, “From where are conflicts and from where are quarrels among you? Is it not from this, from your pleasures that wage war among your members?” (Jas 4:1). But Saul’s ultimate responsibility did not lessen Samuel’s pain. All of us must be willing to realign our expectations. More important, we must seek to be aligned with God all along. We must move on from destructive behaviors and disobedience. Along the way, we must be mindful of the things God wants to create, and we must be ready to respond when God calls us to “Fill your horn with oil and go.” What do you think God is asking you to move on from today? What is He asking you to move toward?