“but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.” 1 Peter 4:16
God doesn’t always reveal why He’s allowed a painful situation to enter our lives. But today’s passage helps us consider two possible reasons for suffering. It focuses in on being mistreated due to our own actions—both right and wrong. Maybe we said or did something hurtful; maybe not. But people often do what they do because they’re reacting to something. And understanding what someone is reacting to determines how we should respond to being mistreated.
Sometimes, the other person is reacting to our bad behavior or misconduct. This isn’t someone being offended out of pettiness, but because of genuine wrongdoing on our part. For instance, Peter said, “Make sure that none of you suffer as…a troublesome meddler (1 Peter 4:15). In other words, Christians shouldn’t be busy bodies or gossips. So, if we’re always trying to get our two cents worth in, and others don’t react to it kindly, that’s not persecution.
At other times we may suffer for doing what’s right. Jesus talked about this in Matthew when He said, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness” (5:10). The world is threatened by people who live righteously. They applaud what Jesus said about love but ignore His teaching on righteousness and holiness. As we obey all of His Word, our light shines brightly in a dark world. And light irritates people who love darkness.
So, we’re talking about suffering specifically because we follow Jesus. What does that look like? Well, it’s experiencing some kind of pain or distress for refusing to compromise the character of Christ in our lives. Remember, the word Christian was originally a derogatory term for followers of Jesus. In essence, Peter says, “Wear their shaming as a badge of honor!”
How should you respond to being mistreated? First, ask yourself, “Is this because I’m acting like Jesus, or because I’m acting like the world?” If it’s the latter, then apologize and do everything possible to make it right. If, however, the mistreatment is because you live a righteous and holy life, then glorify God in it! Either way, you need to, “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28).