Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. – 1 Peter 4:12

Today's Scripture Reading (June 11, 2024):  1 Peter 4 & 5

My wife and I are working through the episodes "The Chosen," a television series about the life of Jesus, as they are made public. And ever since we started watching it, my computer seems to know that I am interested, so it keeps dropping little videos about "The Chosen" in which my computer thinks I might be interested. (Yes, your computer knows what you are watching,  buying, or any other silly habits for which you might be using it.)

So, as I was thinking about this passage, my computer said, "Hey Garry, have you seen this?" My computer presented me with an interview with Dallas Jenkins, the director of The Chosen, talking about "The Chosen" and specifically about Mary Magdalene's character. Jenkins wrote;

I find the notion that Mary Magdalene was incapable, or wouldn't have sinned, or wouldn't have struggled, or wouldn't have backslid, because Jesus had already redeemed her, is an affront and an insult and offensive to the gospel, to what the Bible says, and to millions and millions and millions of people who have struggled after they have been saved" (Dallas Jenkins).

Dallas goes on in the video and talks about sin in the life of the believer, but the idea is much broader than just sin. It is about the struggle of life, regardless of whether sin is involved. And yes, we struggle. We struggle with circumstances, old habits, and ways that we used to react to people and stimuli, none of which changes just because we have become Christians.

So, Peter writes, "Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you." He doesn't say don't be surprised at the fiery ordeal that might come on you to test you; he writes that these struggles have come, they are currently present.

And we know that; we don't need to be reminded that life is a struggle. We always seem to be struggling with something. So don't treat the battle as if something strange is happening to you. Life is a struggle. And yet, it seems that some Christians try to pretend that that is just not true.

A section of Christianity teaches that in Christ, the struggle ends. This strand often seems to teach "Fake it till you make it." A quote frequently attributed to Mahatma Gandhi argues that "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." In the same way, fake it till you make it leaves us with everyone faking it and no one making it. It is a depressing way to live. And there has to be a better way. Peter wants to ensure we understand that hard times are to be expected, even for Christians, and no one is asking you to fake it until you make it.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Titus 1