Blessing for insult

Next week Scattered reads 1 Peter 3:1–12. Peter keeps going in the same direction: "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." He asks all of them to be "like-minded and sympathetic," to "love as brothers," and to be "tenderhearted and humble."

This week the room kept returning to one hard idea: how people of God answer those who misunderstand them. Honor among people who watch, submission for the Lord's sake, high regard for everyone, and the example of Jesus, who did not retaliate. The group was honest that none of this comes naturally, and that our first instinct is to defend ourselves.

That is the bridge to next week. Not retaliating is only half of it. Peter goes further and asks us to bless. For anyone serving online, that means the troll, the critic, and the person who twists your words all get prayed for, not just tolerated. Blessing is not weakness. It is what people whose sins Jesus bore are free to give.

This weekend, sit with 1 Peter 2:11–25 one more time, and write down one way Jesus' example challenges you. Then read ahead into 1 Peter 3:1–12. Ask who has insulted you lately, and how you could bless them instead, in prayer or in a kind word. If you missed the session, watch the replay at https://thechurch.digital/scattered/