Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.  For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:2-17

An exercise I do when I read these ancient texts, outlining how we should live, is consider the time in which they were written. I don’t want to dive too deep into the study of when this passage was written, but more than likely, it was within the first century. To understand the import of this statement in that time period is to understand the absolute depravity of leadership in Rome. The value of human life was near nil, and nothing escaped the exercise of desire. Even with the evil we’ve witnessed and read about in the last 200-300 years, it rarely, if ever, approaches first century Rome.

Then, as now, Jesus followers experienced the same soul-freedom we do today. Living within this freedom removes the moorings of the trappings of life. Was life for them difficult, and is life for us difficult? Absolutely. While we’re not being roasted to illuminate dinner parties, life for us can be hard. And yet, we can find joy in this experience similar to those praising Jesus as they burned. Up to now, most of us haven’t experienced anything close to this tortured existence. Not having enough money for cars, homes, or other possessions doesn’t count. What truly counts is how we live our lives while on the earth.

These words in the passage are truly powerful. The words penned by Peter were targeted for Gentile and Jewish believers in the Diaspora. Just as he told them in this letter, our lives are to fearlessly reflect Jesus to everyone around us. When the time comes for people (“Gentiles”) to speak out against us, our life and actions will speak louder than their words. The way we live is observed to the degree we don’t need to ‘toot our own horn.’ People will know.

Just as our ancestors in the faith were called to honor the Emperor, so are we (1 Peter 2:17). Remember that when the Emperor ‘s rulings superseded the preeminence of God, they chose Christ. As we go through our daily lives, experiencing the peace and presence of God with us, engaging in the practice of prayer, let’s pray for our leadership. I’m certain some would rather chew aluminum foil than pray for our politicians, but this is what we’re called to do (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Remember, our moorings adhere to God and our choice, Christ.

By Rich Obrecht

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:12-14

Growing up, I remember mom and dad’s friends sharing meals with us. On Sunday afternoons, people visited with no kids, or kids my age, or older. We didn’t live close to the church, so our being at their house or they at ours involved a road trip. But that didn’t defray our spending time with people. There were times where either mom and dad reciprocated their invitation or they had us over. But this wasn’t why mom and dad invited folks over. There wasn’t an expectation of a meal at their home in return. Visiting and sharing life were the only expectations.

My wife and I have noticed over the years that having people over, at least to us, is a much rarer occurrence than when we were younger. We recall spending time, as a married couple, sharing homes and life just like mom and dad did. It didn’t happen too often before the COVID-19 outbreak, and my fear is it will occur even less after. If this is what happens to our society, I’ll be very sad. Sharing meals, as my former neighbor used to tell us, has a deep meaning, especially in his Middle Eastern culture. You see, according to what he told us (and I believe it), sharing a meal in someone’s home is akin to becoming family.

There are times for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), and it seems soon, when things ‘open up,’ the time may be for rejoining each other at church and, yes, in our homes. This outbreak has separated us. Perhaps, with the appropriate level of caution should you be vulnerable, inviting people into your home, whether you’re used to it or not, would be a wonderful way of reestablishing community. As these restrictions continue to loosen up, perhaps consider inviting those you normally wouldn’t. I’m sure the motivation in the past has been to just have fellowship one with another, so let’s continue that now. However, if you find perhaps you hoped for people to invite you over, step outside this thinking, and invite people without any expectations and discover that there’s more joy in the experience! It might even be fun to start now and come up with a unique way to get together using recommended methods to keep safe!

By Rich Obrecht

 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. Matthew 5:21-26

Something I’m certain we’ve all experienced is conflict. Conflict can happen at any moment, over anything. It can appear justified by hurt feelings, differences of opinion, or just about any other thing we’re involved with. I’m also pretty certain we’ve all experienced conflict wounding, hopefully not physical, marking us and leaving dark shadows of fear within us. Conflict has been, and continues to be, unavoidable. There’s no way to escape it. Fortunately for Jesus followers, we’ve been given a means at conflict resolution that perhaps cuts across our culture’s grain.

In our passage, we find instructions to reconcile our differences, or conflicts, with each other before they get out of hand. Jesus says reconciliation should be accomplished before things progress to where it would be nearly impossible to experience. This is such wonderful advice, and it sounds very similar to what our parents tried to teach us, and, if we’re parents, we try to convey to our children. But there’s something deeper to learn here. Certainly, reconciliation is key to restoration in conflict. But, rather than someone outside our relational sphere settling our disputes, it’s ours to settle. To do this, however, requires something of a sacrifice from us. It requires a humble spirit.

Someone needs to approach those they’re in conflict with and seek restoration. Whether you were wronged, or they were, matters not. Moving towards someone with a humble and contrite spirit can be the Balm of Gilead to heal wounds inflicted by conflict (Jeremiah 8:22). Our passage indicates this reconciliation occurs before we worship. The offering of gifts at an altar was an act of worship during the time these words were spoken. While we don’t ‘offer gifts at an altar’ as such, we do worship God in a variety of ways. As you move towards God for worship, and you remember someone needing reconciliation, celebrate the words of Jesus and go to them! It’s very likely your worship will be sweeter and deeper once relational reconciliation is a reality!

By Rich Obrecht

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

I’m pretty sure I can guess which story pops into your head when someone says, ‘love requires sacrifice.’ The story of Jesus’ sacrifice is most likely that story. What a great, wonderful story about a completely selfless act, initiated by the Father and carried out by Jesus. In the history of the universe, no other story carries with it the same intense love. However, there is one in recent human history that is a small shadow of Jesus’ story.

The Polish soldier, Franciszek Gajowniczek, was in Auschwitz, and was chosen to die by starvation, along with 9 others, because of a prisoner escape. Upon hearing his selection, he began to weep because his wife would be a widow and his children fatherless. Friar Maxmillian Kobel stepped forward, as a 47-year old Catholic Franciscan priest, and took his place. After 15 days of suffering and starvation, Fr. Kobel was put to death by an injection of carbolic acid.

Even this human example of self-sacrifice is hard to imagine. Loving others is a sacrifice, not often to the degree that Jesus or Fr. Kobel exhibited, but to some, it can feel that way. Love requires vulnerability, effort, time, patience, and many other things. Depending on past experiences, suffering emotional pain might result. This experience makes this sacrifice of love all the more difficult to initiate.

And yet, we are called to love, and without qualifications. It’s not an optional thing, really (1 John 3:11). We’re called to love God and others (Matthew 22:36-40). We return blessings in love for evil and hate (1 Peter 3:8-9). Perhaps the biggest sacrifice we offer in love is ourselves. We’re really opening ourselves up to many things that might not be pleasant to experience, but in this vulnerable posture, we follow the leading of Christ, loving as he loved, with an ultimate human example in Fr. Kobel (John 13:34).

As you go through each day, remember the example of love Jesus demonstrated towards us. It might help to remember Fr. Kobel, too. I’m not suggesting love requiring one’s life, rather one that extends the hand of love to our neighbor. These demonstrations can start small, like holding the door for someone, or however else the Lord might lead you. It could be a kind word or two is all someone needs to lift their day. Be attentive to the Holy Spirit’s leading, and then do it!

By Rich Obrecht