For the last few Sundays my pastor has been teaching on suffering. In the book of 1 Peter he (Peter) talks a great deal about suffering. He warns that as Christians we will face suffering for our faith and urges us to hold fast to the promise that God will reward us for it in time. Suffering for Christ here in America isn’t really all that bad compared to what was going on in the days of Peter. In 1 Peter 4:12 he spoke of a "fiery ordeal" and was being quite literal. They were burning Christians alive at the stake for entertainment! As well as feeding them to lions in the Coliseum. Life as a Christian wasn’t easy in Peter's time… it was actually pretty terrifying. Below are a few verses from 1 Peter about this.
1 Peter 2:20- For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22 Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
1 Peter 4:12- Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;
16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
These passages are saying that if you suffer for breaking the law there is not much honor in that because you deserved your punishment. But if you suffer for doing what is right and don’t make a spectacle of yourself, that is something that is noteworthy. It gives Jesus as an example- that when He was being ridiculed and accusations were being made oh Him, He remained silent and reverent and didn’t point His finger back at anyone.
Romans 5:3- And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
I love this passage, it has really helped me through some tough times. It reminds us that God works through our hardships to better equip us for life in this world.
My pastor also mentioned an amazing story of another father wanting the best for his child and who was willing to do whatever it took to ease his suffering.
The story is about Dick and Rick Hoyt. Rick was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, which cut off the oxygen supply to his brain. Doctors told the family that there was no way Rick could lead a normal life and that they should institutionalize and forget about him. Rick’s parents wouldn’t have it and were determined to be there for their son in as many ways as possible.
Well Rick was physically handicapped but not mentally. His parents, wanting to give him a normal life, put him in public school. He went on to graduate from Boston University with a degree in special education. While Rick was still in high school he told his father he wanted to participate in a five-mile benefit run for a local lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Dick, his father, admitted he was not a runner but agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair for the run. They completed the five miles and finished next to last. That night, Dick remembers, "Rick told us he just didn’t feel handicapped when we were competing."
After hearing this Dick entered himself and Rick in other races. Later Rick said, " What I mean when I say I feel like I am not handicapped when competing is that I am just like the other athletes, and I think most of the athletes feel the same way. In the beginning nobody would come up to me. However, after a few races some athletes came around and they began to talk to me. During the early days one runner, Pete Wisnewski had a bet with me at every race on who would beat who. The loser had to hang the winner’s number in his bedroom until the next race. Now many athletes will come up to me before the race or triathlon to wish me luck."
After 4 years of marathons, Team Hoyt attempted their first triathlon (26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming) — and for this Dick had to learn to swim. "I sank like a stone at first" Dick recalled "and I hadn’t been on a bike since I was six years old."
Dick, now 65, and his son have competed in over 700 races, climbed mountains, and have cycled 3,735 miles across America.
Rick now works at Boston College’s computer laboratory helping to develop a system codenamed "Eagle Eyes," through which mechanical aids (like for instance a powered wheelchair) could be controlled by a paralyzed person’s eye-movements, when linked-up to a computer.
Below is a video that captures the bond and commitment of this father to his son. Dick has really gone the distance to ease his son’s pain and suffering. When you hear this story and watch this clip and you see how much this dad cares for his son, think about how much more our heavenly father wants to do for us. In this world as Christians we are handicapped because we were made for something beyond this world. And God knows and tells us we will suffer if we proclaim to be His children but He also promises to be right there with us and that we will be rewarded for our faith.
