"Who will harm you when you are a zealot for what is good?

Posted : 21 Jun, 2012 02:32 AM

1 Peter 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?



14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled ;



15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:



16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.



17 For it is better, if the will of God be so , that ye suffer for well doing , than for evil doing .





Devotional:



"Eager to do good" is too weak a translation. Peter actually says, "Who will harm you when you are a zealot for what is good?" And a zealot is a fanatic.



You probably know that Jesus had two disciples named Simon. In order to distinguish them, one was called Simon Peter and the other Simon the Zealot (Luke 6:15). He was called "the Zealot" because he belonged to a party that ardently desired and incessantly worked for the overthrow of the Romans, who occupied the country. Everyone wanted to get rid of the Romans, but the Zealots were willing to put life and limb on the line to drive them out. if they could.



Now Peter says, Who can hurt you if you are a zealot for doing what's right? And even if someone makes you suffer�and some people will�you are still blessed. You are on the side of the angels and of Jesus himself. Jesus suffered at the hands of evildoers while doing good. You cannot lose when you are on the side of Jesus.



Most people claim to do what's right and loudly condemn evil. But they are flexible. They close an eye and soothe their conscience when a little evil is profitable to them. They do what's popular rather than what is right.



Christians train to be zealots about doing good. We put life and limb on the line. We do what's right even if it costs us a lot of money.



by the Rev. Andrew Kuyvenhoven

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