The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 3:8-12, “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;
9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
10 For, “THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.
11 “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.
12 “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”

Simon Peter is near to the end of his first letter. In these verses, he brings to a climax what he has earlier spelled out quite clearly. Peter wants from his readers what the LORD wants from all of His children: harmony and humility –things that exemplify the very character of God and provoke His blessing.

Peter is not one to cloud his meaning with high-sounding words. He tells it like it is! If we want to live a good life filled with love, and to experience good days, we must stop spreaking evil and doing deceitful things.

Simply turn away from things that are evil. Practice focusing on things that are good. That’s easy to do if we remember that everything we are and do is observed by the LORD. We cannot escape His Eye! His eyes and ears are consistently focused on His people. If we desire His blessing, we must meet His expectations. The purpose of His death and resurrection was to rescue us from sin and recreate us in His likeness.

Have you been rescued by Jesus’ love? Have you trusted Him as your LORD and Savior? Peter recommends Jesus; and incidentally, so do I.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom