Raising The Standard
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9
A gentleman talked about attitude and being blessed. He was at an airport restaurant, and he asked a server for barbeque sauce for his chicken tenders. The server replied with a bit of a salty attitude, “That will be 75 cents.” Now the gentleman could have taken exception to the server’s response. Instead, he chose to handle it a different way. He gave the server a $10 tip. The reasoning was not to show that he was either better than the other person or well-paid that he could afford to do such. It was because he wanted to point out quite simply that they do not get to rain on their parade. The gentleman chose to not stoop to the level of the other person’s pettiness. He chose to raise the level so that the server would meet him there.
How are we showing up in the world as Christians. This story I shared was from a Christian who acknowledges that he was indeed blessed by God, and as such, would in no way indulge in seeking retribution to address another’s poor behavior. Instead, he chose to be above it all and show grace and compassion. When I thought about it, it is not much different from how God has shown me love even when I have gone against Him and His wishes. Even when I have clearly disappointed Him, His love for me in unchanging and unlimited. Knowing this, how can I not be equally as forgiving and compassionate as others. This is the challenge that I gladly accept each and every day. To be a better Christian that I was before. To be as merciful and forgiving as Christ is of me.
Remembering who you are in Christ allows you to bless those beyond yourself. This chapter in 1 Peter starts off focusing on instructing husbands and wives how to best love each other. It then transitions to instructing all Christians. This makes perfect sense as the best example we have of God’s love for us should be our spouse. This is not to say that single people cannot understand the love God has for us. However, it is to say that when we seek to gain some semblance of God’s love, we can best find it in other Christians who live their lives as followers. Thus, there is an unsaid burden on us to be ambassadors of Christ in the world. Representing is simply not enough. Jesus hinted at this saying, “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.” (Matthew 5:43-45) It may seem unfair for us to be held to a higher standard, but as I once wrote, the standard is the standard. Our savior died for us to have a life where we can have a relationship with an all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present God. Is questioning fairness really something we should be asking?
When we examine the life and teachings of Christ, we often discover that the path He laid out for us is not one of ease or worldly success, but rather one of selflessness, humility, and love. No, it does not seem realistic or fair at times, but we are not asked to be worldly. We are asked to live like Christ. Furthermore, we can look around us and see that we have so much to be thankful for because of Him. The story of the gentleman at the airport restaurant is a perfect illustration of this principle in action—an act of grace that reflects God’s unmerited favor toward us.
Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” Let us remember that as we share of the goodness God has shown us. What kind of legacy am I leaving through my words and actions? How can I better prepare my heart to respond with humility and love in difficult moments? When was the last time I chose grace over retaliation? What was the outcome? My prayer is that we truly embrace God’s message of being standard bearers of Christ to raise the bar of those around us. Amen.