Sacred Sunday~First Peter/Chapter #4/A Little Suffering Never Hurt Anyone

A Little Suffering Never Hurt Anyone. Here's what Peter thinks: Jesus suffered and died, and that means that you've got to be ready to suffer a little, too. You've already lived your life as Godless pagans, he tells them. Now it's time to start living for Christ alone. Warning: it'll totally mess up your crazy weekend plans. Those Gentiles out there don't have moral or sexual restraint. They're huge drunks who worship a  bunch of silly idols, and they think you're becoming a bit of a buzzkill since your conversion. But you've already given your lives over to God. You know what's right—and it's not drunken orgies. Our time is short, he says. This world is coming to an end. That means you've got to keep on the straight and narrow path. Be serious and disciplined. Pray. Love each other. Don't complain. Help everyone. He continues: We all have different gifts. We should use them to make the world a better place. Well, at least until Jesus comes back and ends life as we know it. More warnings: don't be surprised if things start getting a little hot around here. Not everyone likes Christians, and occasionally someone will get arrested or hauled into court or maybe even put to death. It's all part of God's plan. If you've got to suffer—be happy about it. Remember how Jesus suffered? Well, you're getting a share in that, says Peter. If some Roman official hates on your because you love Jesus, that's great news. But if you get hauled into court because you've murdered someone or stole something or even just stirred up trouble in town? Well, that's bad news. Those who suffer as Christians will be blessed by God, says the P-man. In any case, it's better just to keep the faith and get your reward at the end of the game. After all, if this is what believers are gonna go through, just think what God has in store for anyone who rejects him.