What do you say to the troubled?
You
know a group (or a family or an individual) that is having a rough ride
in life and you know it’ll get worse before it gets better and you
purpose to write them a letter. How would you begin it?
There’d
be nothing at all wrong in saying something like, “Ah, dear people, we
have heard of your pain and loss and we want you to know that our hearts
are with your hearts…” Surely there’s always a place for the expression of fellow-feeling and sympathy!
But
troubled people need more than sympathy—of course! Where it’s possible
we need to get involved in a “hands on” way to alleviate if not
completely eradicate their difficulties (what is this other than Matthew
25:34-40?).
After
the meal has been eaten or the warmth of the personal visit is only a
memory something must remain with them! The meal and the warmth and the
clothes should all be given but there comes a time when the person must
carry the burden alone and something must be put into these people that
stays when the helpers depart.
Peter writes to Jewish
people in trouble, people despised and rejected by society, people who
are undergoing suffering and will face even more in the days ahead. And
how does he open a letter to that kind of people? In 1:1-3 he tells them who they are!
He
tells them they are God’s chosen! He tells them that they are the
people made different by the Holy Spirit! He tells them that they are
the people covenanted to God by the blood of Jesus Christ (see Exodus
24:1-8). He later tells them that though they are rejected by their
peers and despised by them that they are chosen by God and that he sees
them as precious (1 Peter 2:4). Then he tells them that however scorned
and mistreated they are that they are God’s holy nation and royal
priesthood with a destiny and a commission that beggars description
(2:9-10).
Peter doesn’t deny their trouble—far from it! Read the entire short letter in one sitting and see what I mean.
But
he opens his letter reminding them who they are! Imagine them sitting
in their little assemblies and hearing these words read out to them
(1:1-3, and the rest). If they can really believe these almost
incredible claims will their lives not be transformed and will they not
enjoy the struggle to cash in on them—will life not astonish them? “This
is who we are? This is really who we are?”
And
how should we speak to our troubled brothers and sisters throughout the
world? What should we say to tiny assemblies in far-off places that are
suffering for their faith? And to those nearer at hand, is this not a
direction we should go? In wise and caring ways should we not—before we speak of their troubles but never forgetting that they are troubled—should we not tell them who they are?