Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
1 Peter 3:13-15a NIV
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.
Peter had told his readers not to repay evil with evil or insult with insult. But to repay evil with blessing. That is admittedly hard to do, but it is what is expected of us as followers of Jesus. We should do good to all people, regardless of how they treat us.
But what if someone responds to your doing good by insulting you or causing you harm? As a general rule, most people will not. Most people would commend you for doing good. But not everyone. There are some who will, for one reason or another, repay your good with evil. And we might suffer because of that. But, Peter says, when we suffer for doing good, we are blessed.
Rather than fearing what others may do to us, we should revere Christ as Lord. What people can do to me is temporary. No matter how much harm they might do to me, it will soon be over. But the blessing of the Lord is eternal. Be faithful to Him as Lord, and you will be blessed, regardless of what other people do. Keep your eyes fixed on Him. And continue to do good, not fearing what others may do.
