1 Peter 3:13-17 (NLT)
13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

Peter reminds the believers he is writing that those who are eager to do good are less likely to be harmed than those who continue in evil ways. And even if there is some suffering for the sake of doing good, God himself will provide a reward. He reminds everyone to be ready to explain the hope of salvation that is in them. The sharing of the gospel should be done in a gentle and respectful manner to others. And believers should try to keep themselves free from sin so their lives become a testimony to those who witness their lives. Peter once again emphasizes, “It is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong.”

Doing the right thing is sometimes difficult. Recently I read about a woman walking along a waste dump road where she worked and found a bag filled with over $85,000. When she picked it up she saw many pictures of Franklins and Grants staring back at her. Just one wrapper was marked that it contained $10,000. She called the sheriffs department and deputies found the money had somehow fallen from an armored car. Her other co-workers said Ms. Cole was the type of person who would do the right thing. They were not surprised she would return the money even though there was no reward. Her supervisor said she was a good woman and while she was a government employee and could not receive cash compensation they were going to provide her with some time off for her good deed. The money was more than two years of a salary for Ms. Cole, she could have kept it, but instead she did the right thing. We all are tempted to NOT do what we should. Sin pulls us in and holds us captive. We may even try to hide sins we have done. We may take what is not ours or talk about others in gossiping ways. But God is watching and He is pleased when we choose to walk in righteousness. Pray that all believers may walk in the ways of Christ. Always trying to obey, always trying to do the right thing.