Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 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.

1 Peter 2:18-25

The second chapter concludes at the foot of the cross, as Peter applies the prophecy of Isaiah 53 to make it clear that Jesus is our example in dealing with the hardships of life.  In everything that Jesus said or did during His ministry, His priority was on serving the Father by serving others in a way that would advance the Father’s purpose. When this involved sacrifice, He sacrificed. When it required suffering, He suffered, for that is how great His love for us was… and is.

As followers of Jesus, can we expect to do less?  If that means putting others first, we put others first, because we love Jesus. If that means that we endure hardship, then we endure it for His sake because we love Him. If that means we love our neighbor even when our neighbor seems less than lovely, then we do it because we love Him. Through this process, we are modeling the behavior of our Savior to the world. Some might scoff and call us fools, but others will respond and follow the One who reached out to them through us in love, and we will have added to His holy spiritual house one more living stone.

And all because we love Him who first loved us.