The Best Life Series

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1 Peter 3:8-12

Everyone wants to live the best life. I’ve never met a single person who wants to have a bad life. Every one of us long to be happy, blessed, and want to lead the best life.

The problem is, people in our world have very different perceptions of what exactly the best life is. Is the best life a life with a lot of money or is the best life filled with lots of vacations and travel around the globe? Is popularity and fame the best life or is the best life a quiet and peaceful life?

The real fact is that we all experience some not very good days. So, today I want to give you the key of having the best life in spite of all that is happening around you.

1 Peter 3:8-12 8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Peter is writing to a group of Christian who is going through a tough life. In this wonderful text Peter opens up to us some windows of understanding about the best life.

Now, if you want to have the best life, here’s what you need:

1. HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE.

The best life is a question of attitude, not possessions. Peter talks about the attitude of a good life in a context of three basic spheres of our relationship: Relationship to the government, relationship in the workplace, and relationship in the marriage. So what should be our attitude?

Be Harmonious.

1 Peter 1:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

Good Relationships are the key to have the best life.

One of the most difficult things in life, is to harmoniously manage our relationships. Relationships involve two or more people, and hence are prone to a clash or conflict of ideas. So if one can develop harmonious relationships that is the first step to the good life. What is that harmonious relationship? 1 Peter 1:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

Where do we find the example of a harmonious relationship? Jesus Christ. Jesus came to reconcile man back to God. Christ is the embodiment of love, sympathy, compassion and humility. Only if you are having a strong foundation in Jesus can you have harmony in your other relationships. So the best life comes to the question: How is your relationship to Jesus Christ?

2. THE RIGHT RESPONSE. DON’T RETALIATE.

Peter 1:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

If I want the best life, I must not take revenge.

Illustration: While checking in the luggage at the airport, a man became angry with the employee was handling his luggage. For several minutes he belittled the employee and criticized his every move. Surprisingly, the employee didn’t seem troubled by this man’s verbal abuse and was remained calm. After the angry man moved on from the counter, a woman approached the employee with her baggage and asked, “How do you put up with such injustice?” The employee said, “It’s easy. That guy’s going to New Delhi, but I’m sending his bags to Chennai.

No matter how unjustly you might be treated you do not retaliate. “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” You don’t try to get your pound of flesh in your own way.

God says don’t hold a grudge, don’t retaliate. Don’t pay back. Be like Jesus Christ. See what Peter said about Jesus: 1 Peter 2:21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

1 Peter 2:23 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.

So, the right attitude is one of peace and harmony. The right response is a non-retaliation response.