The Call to Action
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8, ESV
In the passage above, the Apostle Peter addresses Christians enduring suffering. He reminds them that love is not defined by feelings but by the willingness to sacrifice for others. In the United States, there is a noticeable divide within the Christian faith. My husband has shared that he no longer refers to himself as a Christian because the term has been distorted by falsehoods. Instead, he identifies as a believer, a knower of Jesus Christ.
The truth is that Satan has always sought to divide those who have faith in Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us: Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.
1 Peter 5:8, CSB.
He does not concern himself with those who are unsaved, as he already has them. His primary focus is on those whose hearts are righteous before God. His strategy is to turn individuals against one another because division is the easiest way to conquer. This is why racism has persisted for decades—it is an effective tool of division.
The passage reminds us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ earnestly. Earlier in the chapter, it states that since Christ suffered in the flesh, we must also arm ourselves with the same understanding. Suffering in the flesh is inevitable for those who follow Christ. It is heartbreaking to witness the divisions within the household of faith. Families turn against each other due to deceptive tactics and the inability to discern truth from lies. This brings to mind the story of Job. When he suffered, his friends initially came to console him, but their words ultimately condemned him. In the end, God corrected Job’s friends and instructed them to ask Job to pray for them so He would not deal with them as their folly deserved. Despite his immense suffering—the loss of his children, wealth, and health—Job still loved his friends and prayed for them.
Regardless of how our brothers and sisters in Christ behave, and even if we suffer because of their actions, God has called us to continue loving and praying for one another.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for being our Lord and King. You understand each of us and see our hearts. You know that it is not easy to love and pray for a fellow brother or sister when we suffer at their hands—especially when we suffer simply because of the way You created us. We know that You will not place more on us than we can bear, so we ask for strength, discernment, and wisdom to pray and love as You have commanded. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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