Word of the Week: Concentrate

Sunday was the first part of our fall sermon series on 1 Peter. The apostle wrote this letter to Christians struggling to find their place. As elect exiles, as strangers living in a foreign land, Christians aren’t at home in this world. How are we supposed to follow Jesus under circumstances like these?

No doubt, God’s word has much to teach us in the coming weeks. But the first word of counsel Peter gives is to keep our eyes on our eternal home.

That got me thinking about the ways that Christians have historically related to the world. One approach has been combat. We see ourselves as pitched in a constant state of warfare against our neighbors. It’s us versus them – and it’s exhausting. It’s hard to love our neighbors if we see them as the opposition.

Another common response has been conformity. We become so much like our unbelieving neighbors that we eventually become indistinguishable. Jesus warned about this approach in Matthew 5:13. If salt loses its saltiness, what good is it? If Christians lose our distinctiveness, what blessing can we bring to others? What honor does that show God? Combat’s a bad approach, but conformity’s no good either.

That leaves us with Peter’s advice: concentration. Keep your eyes on the future glory we have in Christ while living here in the present. This focus reminds us that God’s story is one of redemption. If God saved a sinner such as me, who could possibly be beyond his reach? My neighbors won’t be enemies, but fellow sinners who need God’s grace. This focus also keeps me from getting swept away with the current. Christians have something of value to offer this world! We’ve been blessed to be a blessing to others, but what do we have to offer if we throw it all away? Concentrating on the future glory we have in Jesus keeps us from the pitfalls of combat and conformity.

Brothers and sisters, keep your eyes on the true prize!