To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
1 Peter 2:21-23 NIV
“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.
How do you respond when you are insulted? Especially when insulted for being a follower of Jesus? Our natural tendency is to insult back. And all too often, we give in to that desire, responding to an insult with an insult. But Peter tells us that there is a better way to respond.
Jesus suffered on my behalf. And as he did so, he left me an example. An example that I should follow. When he was insulted, he did not respond with insult. Nor did he threaten those who beat him and hung him on a cross. There was no fault to be found in anything he said or did in response to insults and suffering.
Instead, he entrusted himself to God, the one who judges justly. He chose to allow the Father to respond for him.
When someone insults me because of my faith in the Lord, I have a choice. I can insult them back. But when I do, I am failing to follow Jesus’ example. And I demonstrate to the one insulting me that I am no different than they are, justifying their rejection of the God I serve.
Or I can follow Jesus’ example and not retaliate. I can respond to insult with blessing (1 Pet. 3:9). That will confuse the one insulting me, demonstrating to them that I am different and maybe there is something to the God I claim to serve.
