July 24

1 Peter 3:8–9 (NIV84)
8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

That is a different way of thinking instead of “stand up for yourself and don’t let anybody put you down”. There is within all of us (who aren’t victims) the propensity to engage in a battle with anyone who insults us. The reason is simple; we take to heart what they just said. We allow people to define us instead of God’s Word. The only way to let insults and put downs go is to dismiss them because they are meaningless. The only way to reckon that true is to compare what they say to the Word of God.

There is something to notice at the end of verse nine; “so that you may inherit a blessing”. That is so powerful! The blessing of not letting an insult stick on you is one thing, but this is so much more than that. To not repay evil for evil and insult for insult, but to live in harmony with one another (not making a fight out of things), but being sympathetic towards one another realizing that you too are imperfect, loving one another like you live in the same house with the same parents with an attitude of lifting other people higher than yourself with the heartfelt feeling and will to see one another doing well, releases a blessing on your life! God is looking for just that person to release all the more blessing on their lives. The inheritance comes when someone dies, and in this case, it is you – your flesh. Put your flesh to death, that flesh that wants to contend with everyone who does you wrong and inherit the blessing that God can’t wait to give to you!