Foreigners and exiles

Next week Scattered reads 1 Peter 2:11–25. Peter turns from who we are to how we live: "as foreigners and exiles," abstain from "the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul." Then live with such honor among your neighbors that even those who slander you "may see your good deeds and glorify God." That is a lot to hold in two verses.

This week the room kept coming back to identity: newborns dependent on God, living stones connected to each other, a peculiar people who belong to him. Before the session ended, the group had already started reading ahead into verse 11, and talking honestly about how the drive to strive can rob us of joy and creativity.

That is the bridge between the two passages. Peter doesn't tell exiles to try harder to fit in. He tells them to remember they belong somewhere else, and to live honorably where they are. For anyone serving online, that means the way you conduct yourself in the chat is part of your witness, especially when people misunderstand you. Honor is part of the message.

This weekend, sit with 1 Peter 2:1–10 one more time, and write down one thing God says you are. Then read ahead into 1 Peter 2:11–25. Ask what desires are waging war against your soul right now, and which good deeds God might use to show his glory to the people watching you, online and off. If you missed the session, watch the replay at https://thechurch.digital/scattered/