But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. TO THIS YOU WERE CALLED, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “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. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

–Parallel verses:
Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭4‬-‭6‬
Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Sheep are loving, but fairly dumb animals. They cannot be left to their own way, or they will get lost. But they do know the voice of their Shepherd. And they follow him. In fact, they can be commingled with 1000s of other sheep and when their shepherd calls them, they will follow him.

And so it is with us. We forget the right path quite easily if we are honest. We become selfish, sharp or irritable with others, anger easily, and assume the worst. That is, unless we are spending time with our Shepherd each day and filling up on his goodness. So Peter lays out a new path forward for us, modeled after Jesus. He tells us we were called to do good. Jesus did good when it was popular to do good, and he did good in the tough times. His battle against evil cost him his life! But with God on his side, he triumphed in the end! And if we suffer for doing good, we should be thankful; pfor we are sharing in the sufferings of Jesus. It is a different mindset than this world offers us. The world is full of claiming rights, even ones that are not even earned or due them. They divide and pit people against each other and profit off of the melee. But Jesus says to 1) love our enemies and 2) pray for those who persecute us (Matt. 5:44). He wants us to leave revenge and vengeance to God. Instead, we are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. And this means sacrificing-self in order to save others. And his power will be alive in us, helping us to transform into his humble servant. How do I know this? Because he is the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. He watches over us, protects and provides for us, and helps us to grow and produce good fruit. We need no defender on earth. God is our eternal defender. And he knows our “heart intent”!

So as we reflect on the passion week, when Jesus went from incoming king to outgoing criminal, we must ask ourselves: how do I model after Jesus? Will I take risks in relationships at work or at home to share the Gospel and proclaim the good news? Do I care enough, like Jesus did, to risk it all?

Lord, clean out my heart of stone and make in me a heart of flesh. May I understand and feel your heartache and pain for the lost. Teach me to pursue them relentlessly! And may your Spirit guide me to those who are ready to receive you as Savior and Lord!