What does it mean to suffer for righteousness?
In daily life this often means holding our tongue in moments of confrontation or being criticized for not following the errant crowd. Sometimes, it can also refer to the physical or emotional suffering we experience by not giving in to temptation.
As Christians living the Gospel, we live amongst people who do not abide by Kingdom ethics. We choose this life, willingly, knowing that our ways will seem strange to others. In essence, we are cultural foreigners. Realizing this, it is counterproductive to expect others to act in a Christlike way – we are the sojourners, not them. It is by our guiding actions and Christ Himself that we help lead people into the Kingdom.
There’s an oft-repeated adage, “what would Jesus do?”. I personally have rarely found this useful, at least in its current form, as I cannot know precisely what Jesus would do. However, I do find it useful to ask the inverse – what would Jesus not do? I do know that Jesus would not insult someone, or mock them, or respond with hatred. Furthermore, I then realize Jesus would do the exact opposite - act in the most loving manner conceivable. So, I ask ‘what’s the most loving thing I can do in this situation?’
Peter says something similar in 1 Peter 3:8-11 (ESV), “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For ‘Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.’”
Sometimes we may succeed in controlling our actions, but our emotions are another story. We may fret and ask ourselves ‘how can so-and-so act so blatantly evil?’, as over time our love and goodwill insidiously turn into bitterness and hate. It is important to deal with our internal well-being for this reason. But how exactly do we do that?
As a physician, I have seen many body types and levels of health. As the wonders of the human body never cease to amaze, even our physical flaws are interesting. For example, some bodies are simply naturally prone to high blood pressure or high cholesterol, despite their best efforts at a healthy lifestyle and even despite medication. Similarly, I believe every soul has its own vices, its own spiritual weak points. What comes naturally to our own soul may be difficult for someone else, and the opposite is also true – we each suffer specific temptations more easily than others. What seems abhorrent to one of us may be murky or even tantalizing to another. Utilizing this empathy can help avoid the seed of bitterness in our hearts, giving us grace to love our fellow humans wherever they are at in their journey while simultaneously grounding our faith. It can help us separate our fellow beloved from their not-as-beloved actions. Some struggle and fail with temptations where we do not, just as we struggle and fail with our own. To that end, it is helpful to find role models who have experienced the struggles at which we falter and can help guide us along the Way.
1 Peter 3:15-17 (ESV) “…always [be] prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”
As exiles, we are called to live like Jesus even in the face of slander and to be ready to share the reason for our different Kingdom ethics to those who are curious. In the end, it is better to suffer for doing good than suffer for doing evil. Thankfully, even when we suffer we can still take solace in Holiness. When tempted to respond or act in an un-Christlike way, remember even He without sin suffered terribly to the point of death for all of us sinners. In this we are no better – or worse! – than anyone else and are all in need of grace.
- Johnathon Stephens (Renaissance Microchurch Member)
