If you asked people what a true Christian is, I believe two characteristics would dominate the answers they would give. (Think Mother Teresa.)

1. A Christian does good, is completely unselfish, and sacrifices himself for others.
2. A Christian bears suffering and ill treatment with love and patience, and without retaliation.

Let’s look at this second characteristic as seen from the Apostle Peter’s eyes. Peter tells us that we were calledto suffer patiently (if necessary) for doing good (1 Peter 2:21). Peter shows us Christ’s suffering as our example.

Jesus was innocent. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth” (v. 22). He went around doing good, yet suffered for it. He was persecuted because His good actions exposed the sin in people and threatened the status quo.

We are called to react to any unjust suffering in the same way Jesus did. When Jesus was insulted and reviled (verbally abused with vile language), He did not revile in return. When He suffered, he did not threaten in return.

In what ways do we suffer in America today for doing good? Those standing up for the rights of the unborn, the poor, and the abused will sometimes suffer. But each of us is given the opportunity in everyday life to suffer unjustly. Perhaps it is being misunderstood, or being called to surrender a right. Maybe the Holy Spirit is calling us to remain silent, to not make a justified demand, or to not challenge a wrong committed against us. We could be called to pass up a chance to threaten retaliation, even if we only threaten in our minds and not our words.

What does Christ’s example teach us to do instead? Instead of retaliating or threatening, Christ “entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (v. 23). If the weight of our lives is truly cast upon Jesus, if we have been crucified with Christ, then we are able to entrust ourselves and the final outcome of our unjust suffering to Him.

We sometimes ask each other, “What is your calling?” Perhaps the answer isn’t a specific ministry, but is the way in which we do it. Perhaps showing love and patience and not retaliating in the face of unjust suffering is our calling.