The halfbaked Bard

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. 1 Pet:3:9 This is the highlight of true Christianity. Those who have known Christ in person. They beat them, they torture them, ridicule them, put them in prison, for doing good, for starting schools and colleges and hospitals, for bringing them to peace with their Creator God, leading to joy. They persecute them for no valid reason. Yet, you do not see retaliation. You do not see revolt. You do not see any bloodshed or pay back. There is absolute silence while facing persecution. Why? Why do they not react? Why do they keep quiet? Why they do not even defend themselves? Because they have a big Brother who showed them how to do. When persecuted and tortured for no good reason of His, He exuberated that love and peace and joy from His Father, from a world that they look forward unto. They know they are loved. They know these are small in ...

Unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. 1 Pet:3:4 Though this is told to the wives; it is a very good admonition for all of us. To have a gentle and quiet spirit, is an incomparable unfading inner beauty. The real beauty is not your outwardly appearance. Real beauty is your inner spirit - to be gentle and quiet. Not to be quarrelsome. Not to be picking fights. But to be a peacmaker. especially in your family. V:1. Wives, in the same way, be submissive to your husbands. In which same way? The example is of Jesus. 2:23. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate, when He suffered He made no threats.  In this same way, wives be submissive to your husbands, no matter how well or bad they treat you. V:7. Husbands in the same way, be considerate, as you live with your wives.  In which same way? The example is again of Jesus. 3:7. Treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life. Like Jesus did to us. ...

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men. 1 Pet:2:13 Slaves submit yourselves to your masters with all respect not only to those who are good and considerate but also to those who are harsh. 1 Pet:2:18 Submitting to your good and considerate bosses is easy. It is a natural response. It doesn't require an advise or an admonition. However if he/she is a hard taskmaster, you are still asked to submit. Naturally you would submit, but with a grieving, complaining heart, dissatisfied. Yet here the apprisal is to do this submission for the Lord's sake. Thankfully, genuinely. With contentment.  Inorder to be contented, you should enlist the things that you are thankful for. Make a list to praise God for the very things that you are frustrated about. And you will see the Lord's hand written all over it. These sufferings are momentary. He will do all things for good. He will carry it on to completion. He is Sovereign. But our attit...

1Pet:2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk. Crave is a huge word. It is more than desiring. Even higher than seeking. It is a strong and intense desire, that you can't put away with. Always earnestly desiring and seeking. And you are restless when you do not get it. Crave intimacy with God. Crave thearing His voice. Crave the Word of God. Crave to know God. So that by it, you may grow up in salvation. Image courtesy: Gemini

Be holy, because I am holy. 1 Pet:1:16 Quoting from Lev:11:44, it is an admonition that seems quiet impossible. As God is holy. How do we do it? 1 Pet:1:13-25 tells both about my doing and the Lord's doing regarding this. - Prepare your minds for action - Be self controlled - Do not conform to the evil desires - Be holy - Love one another deeply But it also says about the Lord's part in this. Infact His effort is more in this. - Grace - Saved by the precious blood of Christ the Lamb - You have been born again not of perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. Your striving will never make you holy. Because all your righteous deeds are like filthy rags. Isa:64:6. By grace you have been made holy and given a holy standing before the Father by the precious act on the cross, if I believe. Without this act, there is no scope of your holiness. Yet because Isa:64:6 is true, do I deter myself from striving? Not at all. Infact I should stri...

Trials. They have come so that your faith - may be proved genuine. 1 Pet:1:6-7 Are you burdened? Are you overwhelmed? Is everything too hard for you? How are trials useful? Aren't they meant to discourage you more? Trials keep you rooted and strong in faith. That will prove your faith is genuine. It might be a sickness; you have prayed but there is delayed healing. Or a habit that you struggle to put aside. Or a ridicule. Or debts or loans. Or any unanswered prayers. It all results in proving the genuinety of your faith. When things are beyond what you can handle, even otherwise. When you are confused as to why things are happening this way, totally unexpected. Let this assure you. That your Father is in control of the situation. And He does things for your good. And this is the good that He is talking about - that your faith will be made genuine. And something more beautiful may result as you go through this. Result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus is revealed. W...