1 Peter 2:19-25
Easter 4 - Year A
Woe be to the preacher that doesn't start with verse 18. This important context of involuntary servitude is crucial to keep us out of all the issues of abuse that are not in such a context.
In the context of not having a choice, the choice of suffering rather than death can make sense. Elseways the choice of suffering rather than not suffering is nonsense.
It is all too easy for Peter's language to turn into a polemic for hierarchic continuance. It doesn't even have to be the intention of the speaker. Our culture predisposes listeners to hear it even when not meant.
For those who live in a world of choice have a special responsibility to not give solace to those who abuse those who have no felt choice. In particular it is the crucial for males in our culture to finally say to other males that abuse of women and children is unmanly.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/april2005.html
Verse 19 - Be aware of God
Verse 23 - No abuse
These are hidden in all the talk about suffering, whether unjust or just.
Was Jesus aware of G*D? Was Jesus' decision not to abuse a result of this awareness?
If this is an If:Then process, the question needs to be raised about what awareness we have of G*D and what awareness of G*D we are modeling that will reduce abuse -- Mercy G-O-D, disabuse us of the validity of abuse.
Some of this will be choices we make about awareness (is awareness a growing awareness, a dim awareness, a paused awareness). Some will be what we are aware of in G*D (aware of suffering, aware of loving anyway, aware of gotcha). Some will depend on our awareness of our awareness.
For Progressive Christians there is a direct link between G*D and Intentional Nonviolence.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/april2005.html
It is small comfort, but sometimes the only comfort there is, when we suffer for doing what is right – spreading table for enemies and being generous with family (note parallelism so enemies and family can be interchanged).
As the United Methodist Church approaches yet another General Conference, GLBTQ persons who have devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers, still find themselves suffering within the family (which has turned enemy). There is no credible suggestion that this will change in 2008.
This is sad for our GLBTQ family members and it is sad because their continuing to be hospitable toward those who hurt them does not lead others to offer their goodwill toward the church who is hurting them. The result is that, day-by-day, we find more and more people not being added to the number of those finding new hope and health through the witness of Jesus (take a look at the drop in percentage of "christians" measured against the population).
It is time to no longer take Peter's advice about putting up with injustice, particularly for some false unity. He notes what Jesus didn't do but falls short on what Jesus did do – revealed in his body the injustice of the dominating system of state and religious institutions, was proactive in bonding community to itself as a non-blood-based family, and trusted his vision of being beloved when others did their best to humiliate him.
We are not called to be a single sheep led to the slaughter, but a union of blessed people doing what needs to be done even in the face of injustice.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html
If you endure, while loving, you will be blessed.
If you endure, while loving, it will be enough.
Adding others sins to your endurance does not enhance your suffering. Each person’s suffering is sufficient for them.
We live well, despite the risk of suffering for it. This living well is not dependent upon being freed from sins. It can go on with or without so-called sins.
We can see the modeling of Jesus in how to endure while loving. This is sufficient. Adding sin-talk to the model may catch heart-strings, but it also requires the giving up of an equivalent number of head-strings. On balance, this balancing function is unhealthy in the long-run.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/05/1-peter-219-25.html
To be aware of G*D puts you on a track beyond the structures of today. This is a dangerous position to be in. Today desires to continue eternally into tomorrow while tomorrow has a different set of boundaries. This interface is a dangerous place for those who are biased toward today and those anxious to move into tomorrow.
Today folks need to realize this is not the best of all possible worlds and repentance will be in order for the way we have been treating one another and creation. Tomorrow folks recognize all too well the cost of moving beyond the power structures of today. These are both pains; but different pains.
This text primarily affects those who are already listening in on tomorrow. Basically you can stop reading after verse 20. From there it gets into an unhelpful image of suffering on behalf of others.
If we are going to live in the manner of Jesus (this is not a following, but a moving on) we will be living to experience the heaven of a better tomorrow on earth today even when that interface brings imposed pain from the powers of today for so living.
May we continue sharing our various creation-honoring visions as we urge one another on another step. Jesus has been with us all along the way, whispering from tomorrow, and we listen and move forward, not to return to yesteryear. There is no guarding ourselves from this interface, only an assurance that it is important to ourselves and to others not yet able to appreciate a new day dawned.