1 Peter 2:25 - Distraction

“For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

Sheep are not smart. If you have been in church for long, you have probably heard a pastor or teacher talk about how sheep and humans are alike – a comparison I often resent but cannot not refute. My favorite sheep example is that sheep are so stupid they will eat and walk, and eat and walk, right over a cliff. I don’t know if that is true or not, but I’ve heard it many times and it definitely communicates that sheep are not bright.

But I’ve been thinking, maybe sheep aren’t overly dumb, maybe they are just ultra-focused. Maybe they are so focused on eating that they lose track of where they are, where the herd is, and more importantly, where the shepherd is. Maybe they are often lost because they get distracted by their activities, not because they are stupid.

If that is the case, then sheep and humans are definitely alike. Are there any activities that distract you from our Good Shepherd? School? Relationships? TV, the internet, anything? The world we live in throws distractions our way every moment of every day – it wouldn’t be so bad if the distractions weren’t so…distracting.

Distraction comes in handy for Lynda and me right now. If Levi is getting into something that he shouldn’t mess with, all we have to do is say, “Hey Levi, look at this!” And shake something that makes noise or roll something at him – and he turns from the off-limits thing and chases after the noisy, shiny thing. It is amazingly effective.

Unfortunately, distraction is just as effective against us in our walk with Christ. We can have the best intentions and follow Christ as closely as possible. But then something comes up – a relationship, an emergency, an opportunity to be selfish, something noisy or shiny – and we start chasing that instead of Christ. It happens all the time – we don’t intend to drop Jesus – we just turn our eyes to other things and we lose track of Him.

Take a moment and think of two things that distract you from following Christ the way you would like to, or keep you from spending time with Him. It may take a few minutes to sort them out, but don’t give up – a little introspective thought won’t hurt.

Today is Ash Wednesday – why not give up one or both things for lent? If they are things you cannot completely do without, set limits on them. The point of this exercise is to remove the distraction for 40 days and replace the time usually spent on the distraction with Jesus – reading the bible, praying, serving others. It is a great way to return to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.

And who knows, when Easter comes, maybe your distraction will not be so distracting anymore…

1 Peter 2:24 - Our Salvation

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”

This verse provides a perfect opportunity to remind us of the truth of our salvation.

Sin is not a failure that we can correct if we try really hard. Sin is not an illness that will go away if we administer a vaccination. Sin is death. Sinful people are dead – not just physically, but spiritually…for eternity – so they cannot be cured, they can only be resurrected.

The only way to overcome sin is for someone else to pay the penalty for your sin – or die in your place. But how can that happen? Everyone sins. Your death cannot pay the penalty for my sin because your death pays the penalty for your sin. You see the dilemma. The only way someone can escape sin is for someone without sin to die for them – unfortunately, no one is without sin – so we’re all stuck.

But in His infinite mercy, God sent His Son, who did live a perfect life, and was nailed to a tree for our sins. Being sinless, He didn’t have to pay for His own sin, so His death pays for any who choose to accept His sacrifice for them. Those who accept his sacrifice are resurrected to life just as He was resurrected on the third day. Christ conquered sin and death, and by identifying with him, we too are conquerors through His victory.

That is our salvation. And that is the message that your friends and family need to hear. It is the message we need to remind ourselves of and never take for granted. There is hope! Sin and death have been defeated by Jesus Christ, so salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone. He offers it freely to anyone who would accept it – it is free for the asking because there is no way to earn it.

Thank God for His amazing grace today! And share that grace with a thankful and humble heart with everyone you meet…

1 Peter 2:22,23 - Entrusted

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

This verse reveals the crux of the matter. Let’s take a closer look at a few of these statements and how they fit in our lives…

- When you find yourself in a pot of hot water, do you ever fudge the truth or spin things to make yourself look a little better? That is deceit and it is something that Jesus didn’t do – and neither should we. Always tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

- When you are insulted, do you insult right back? An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth? That is not how Jesus reacted, and neither should we. Meet insult with silence and prayer…fighting back never gets positive results.

- When you are persecuted by another, do you say, “I’ll get you for this,” or “You’ll get yours”? Jesus didn’t and neither should we. Never threaten another, it only makes them angrier and makes you look childish.

We are called to be in the world, but not of the world. One way we can demonstrate our differentness is to respond to difficult situations with love, faith, and patience (like Jesus) instead of with deceit, retaliation, and threats (like the world). We can do this because we have a heavenly father who sees everything and judges justly. He will set everything right in His perfect time – believe it!

If you have trouble believing that, perhaps it is because you have never allowed Him the chance to defend you…