Intro: Do you associate righteous conduct with God’s blessing? I hope so, because God tells us we are blessed with divine righteous love in order to be a blessing to others (Gen 12:2-3). God releases his righteous love into our lives, because he loves to share himself by serving us. When we serve and bless others, we receive more blessing from God to prepare us for more service. God’s blessing is a picture of a reciprocal love that just moves and flows through the lives of his children like spiritual nutrition. Feast on the love of God + Share the love of God = BLESSING!
In our passage today, the Apostle Peter reminds all Christians of how we must treat one another in order to stay in the flow of that sweet reciprocal love and blessing of God. Peter emphasizes some righteous behaviors: Sympathy, familial love, tenderheartedness, humility, and self-control. When we genuinely sympathize and understand one of our family members has a problem and needs help, we are gentle in our treatment and response, because we value the relationship we share in Christ.
So, if you want to enjoy the genuine blessing of God, remember righteous conduct is associated with God’s blessing. We bless others, not out of duty, but out of love and choice, because this is how God treats us. God desires to bless us, so let’s position ourselves to receive the blessing of his love and allow the Spirit to motivate us toward righteous conduct in our relationships.
1 Peter 3:8-12 NLT/Amplified Bible All Christians
8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. 10 For the Scriptures say,
“If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days,keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies [deceit].
11
Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace [with God, self, and others], and work [actively pursue] to maintain it.
12
The eyes of the Lord watch [favorably] over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers [eager to answer].But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”
Prayer: Lord, thank you for how you love us as your children and provide your blessing so we can serve others. You have set abundance within us, so help us today to release the blessing into the lives of others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.