Focus on His Name, Not Your Shame

BY: Richard Wasserfall

Part of the Christian Monitor - Devotional

DATE: 14 June, 2004 - “If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” 1 Peter 4:15-16. If we were to take the first three words of 1 Peter 4:15, “If you suffer,” and amend them with the phrase ‘for Christ,’ the meaning of the rest of the verse becomes manifestly clear. One might well ask though how is it even possible to suffer for Christ as a murderer, thief, criminal or meddler? After all, don’t these things stand against the law as it is written on our hearts?

Yes, but human nature stands alongside that law (Rom 7:21-23), and human nature, when religiously provoked, finds ways of turning God’s will into justifiable bloodthirsty affairs. Church history reveals no shortage of blood split for the cause of the faith. The crusades mark out one of the Church’s earliest forays into misplaced zeal. The internecine post-reformation wars mark out another dark period of the Church taking suffering for the faith to bloody, retaliatory ends. And today, in the global South (once the third world), where Church growth is exploding, we are seeing elements of the institutional Church striking out in murder and bloodshed against either their persecutors, or in rebellion against their rulers – all in Christ’s name.

These are the extreme cases, but stealing bread because your persecutor has refused you the right to eat, or refusing to pay taxes because a government restricts your religious freedom, or in fact any form of criminal activity, none of these can be justified as suffering for Christ’s name, for this is not the faith to which we were called and in which God will provide for all our needs. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:43-45a).

But what of meddling? Human nature turns religious provocation into backbiting as well. Thus the warning not to suffer as a meddler, who for lack of persecution, has got nothing better to do than go around judging Christian and non-Christian alike for their actions or beliefs in a way that only God has the right to judge. Jesus also said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged” (Matt 7:1-2a).

Rather, in suffering, we need to follow Christ who though, “he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet did not open his mouth,” (Isa 53:7). Now make no mistake. There is a time to speak out against those that wrong us. But when that time comes, Scripture tells us that it is the Spirit who will give us the words. But if silence was Jesus’ reaction during His darkest moment, we probably have to face the fact that nine times out of ten, our righteous indignation at being shamed for Christ is not the Spirit rising within us, but rather our own sinful ego. Instead, Peter admonishes us to not even to focus on that shame, but to praise God that we have been counted worthy to bear His name, and thus are confirmed sons of God.

Dear Lord, thank you that through Christ, you have provided us with an opportunity to redeem whatever shame we might suffer for Your name and turn it into worship and praise of Your name. Amen.

Richard Wasserfall