To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:21-24)
When we are hurting, the needs of others don’t seem to reach us.
But remember Jesus. When his mind was filled with the death of John the Baptist and he only wanted to be alone, he saw the crowd. And though he knew the trivial concerns that had brought them, they still got to him like a kick in the stomach. So he went to them, taught them, fed them, healed them.
Think of who we become when confronted with things we dread.
But remember Jesus. Hear him praying for his friends the very night before the scourge and nails, desiring for them the highest conceivable good. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world” (John 17:24).
Then this. Think of when we are misunderstood or insulted, mistreated or wronged, and how all restraint is abandoned. We justify whatever comes into our hearts to do or say. “If people knew what I’m going through, they would not blame me.”
But remember Jesus. When he was abused, he did not lash out. Not a word left his lips of which he needed to be ashamed. Nothing vulgar or even unkind. He entrusted himself to him who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23).
There is a goodness to Jesus that we can scarcely comprehend as it is revealed in the extremity of the cruelty he suffered. There is a “love unknown.”
When Peter bids us follow in the footsteps of Christ, he certainly knows what he is doing to us. Those footprints are too far apart. We cannot keep up. To once take this seriously—to once try to follow the example Jesus left behind—is to sink beneath the ideal.
And it is Christ himself who lifts us up.
He is our example, yes. Yes, we are called to remain ever conscious of our God as the secret to how we may commend ourselves to him and suffer for doing good. But before that can even make sense—before we can ask in the right way what he would have us do—we must meet him again as Savior, as the innocent Sufferer, as the perfect Sacrifice.
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross.”
“By his wounds we are healed.”
What would Jesus have you do? He would have you be glad. You have a gentle Savior who has gone on ahead. You saw him stride straight into his death on the cross for us all. You saw him come out the other side. He is turned toward us—always toward us—smiling like the sun. “Follow me.”
Dear Father, pour your Spirit into our hearts as we meditate on your Word. Make us ever conscious of you and the gift you have made of your Son Jesus. Grant us the strength to be the imitations of him in this world as we strive to live a life of love and to honor the sacrifice he made. Let this be to your glory not ours. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Rev. Dr. Mark Paustian serves Martin Luther College as a professor of Hebrew and English.
1. My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me,
Love to the loveless shown
That they might lovely be.
Oh, who am I
That for my sake
My Lord should take
Frail flesh and die?
2. He came from his blest throne
Salvation to bestow,
But such disdain! So few
The longed-for Christ would know!
But oh, my friend,
My friend indeed,
Who at my need
His life did spend!
3. Sometimes they strew his way
And his sweet praises sing,
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King.
Then “Crucify!”
Is all their breath,
And for his death
They thirst and cry.
4. Why? What has my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run;
He gave the blind their sight.
Sweet injuries!
Yet they at these
Themselves displease
And ‘gainst him rise.
5. They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away.
A murderer they save;
The Prince of life they slay.
Yet cheerful he
To suffering goes
That he his foes
From death might free.
6. In life no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say?
Heaven was his home
But mine the tomb
Wherein he lay.
7. Here might I stay and sing;
No story so divine,
Never was love, dear King,
Never was grief like thine.
This is my friend,
In whose sweet praise
I all my days
Could gladly spend.
