Beyond Civil Behavior


1 Peter 4:7-11
7The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

You can’t watch the news for 2 minutes without someone bringing up the new ethos here in the U.S. It seems we have lost the ability to be civil with one another. But if you read the words of God from Peter’s hand, it seems that incivility is inappropriate for God’s people. This passage is filled with wise words for all of us and maybe a few moments of self-reflection would be in order as we hold ourselves up to this passage.
  1. Be Self-Controlled – holding our impulses up to personal (and godly) scrutiny is a tough choice. It’s less work to just go with the flow but the consequences of that decision might be harsh.
  2. Be Sober Minded – A better translation of that phrase is “have mental clarity”. Once again, think before you act or speak. These first two admonitions are connected in the Greek.
  3. Love one another – That seems like a no-brainer, right? But I believe that means the love of God extends far beyond what most of us are willing to do. It’s easy to love the people we love – and extending that to those we don’t like might be a problem. But in God’s Kingdom, it doesn’t get to be a problem. We love the people God loves – and I’m pretty sure that’s everyone.
  4. Show hospitality without grumbling – Once again, I’m fine with being hospitable to the people I like – but the rest, well – not so much. That too is unacceptable. In many cases the people who need my hospitality the most are those outside of my circle.
  5. Use your gifts to serve one another – First you need to know that you have indeed got gifts and then you are expected to employ them – liberally – in the service of others.
I’m not a fan of “should” theology. But here we have an actual list of character traits and attributes the Christian life displays. Perhaps if God’s people begin to embrace these traits, our witness to a dark world would shine brightly and God’s love would prevail in the lives of those around us, for love in action always wins more battles than incivility. Because these traits are pleasing in God’s sight, His Holy Spirit empowers and enables these things in us – if we just allow it.

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