Doing Right Even When It Hurts
By Justin Pratt
To some distressed individuals enduring significant opposition to their new way of living, Peter offered these words of comfort: “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous” (I Peter 3:12). This conveys a reassuring message that God is always watching over those who strive to do what is right. This is the core message of Peter’s first letter to Christians trying to live out their faith in a merciless Roman Empire. His letter was meant to encourage them in the face of suffering and to challenge them to continue doing what is right, even when it is difficult.
Doing what is right reflects a posture of integrity. The challenge of integrity lies in making a conscious and intentional decision to do right even when others may be mistreating or maligning us. The Apostle Peter encourages the first-century church to understand their identity in Christ and to remember that their suffering connects them to a deeper relationship with Jesus. The message is clear: as believers in Christ, we are not like the unbelieving world; we are a chosen people, unique and distinct. As God’s possession, we have the capacity to live righteously and act justly, even in the most challenging circumstances.
As a result, we can reflect God’s goodness, even to our enemies and those who slander us, for He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Peter states in 1 Peter 2:15 that it is God’s will for people of faith to lead such honorable lives that it silences critics who seek to make false and misguided accusations against us. God has called us to do good and to act justly, even if it means we must suffer for doing so.
The Bible and history are filled with stories of individuals who did the right thing yet faced hardship as a result. Joseph did the right thing by fleeing from Potiphar’s wife, who was grasping his coat, only to be betrayed and imprisoned. Job did what was right and lost everything he had except for his wife and his life. Stephen, a man of good works, ended up being stoned. John the Baptist stood for righteousness and lost his head. Jesus, who did nothing but good, ultimately lost His life.
My interest in history brings to mind the countless martyrs throughout the centuries who suffered for their commitment to doing good. Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, was bound and burned before being stabbed. Justin, a philosopher later known as Justin Martyr, was executed in Rome in AD 165. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and Nazi dissident, refused to conform to Hitler’s regime and was executed in 1945 at Flossenbürg concentration camp. He lost his life for doing what was right. On January 8, 1956, an American missionary named Jim Elliot was killed along with four of his friends during Operation Auca, an attempt to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the Huaorani Tribe in Ecuador. Just three years ago, a personal friend of mine named Stephen Troell was ambushed and killed in Baghdad in front of his wife. He went to Iraq for one reason: to do good.
Both the Bible and history teach us that doing good and doing what is right can sometimes lead to suffering and pain.
These reflections are not intended to discourage or dissuade you from doing what is right. I hope that these truths help you when you face hurt, as hurt is an inevitable part of life. Jesus forewarned His disciples in Matthew 5 that it will rain on both “the just and the unjust.” This serves as a biblical reminder that everyone, regardless of their actions, will experience hurt equally.
Peter’s letter offers us some important truths. First, pain is an inherent part of the human experience. It’s essential to remember that character is not forged in times of crisis; it is displayed during calamity. If we suffer while doing what is right (and we will), then it becomes an opportunity to show who we belong to. In every example of suffering mentioned above, those who endured well became reflections of God’s image.
Second, we need to be aware of the work that God is doing in and through us. Often, it is in the depths of our pain that God does His most profound work and is glorified. While doing the right thing may lead to suffering, that pain is a clear sign that we are being conformed to the image of God’s Son. The late A.W. Tozer once said, “When I understand that everything happening to me is to make me more Christlike, it resolves a great deal of anxiety.” This includes everything—joy and pain, peace and turmoil, suffering and ease. According to the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:28, all of it works for the good of those who love God.
Life can be complicated, and we may experience pain or suffering for doing good. The Apostle Peter warns us about this but also encourages us in 1 Peter to continue doing good anyway. Even if we suffer for doing what is right, 1 Peter 3:14 tells us, “happy are ye.” It’s a promise that God will reward us for our righteousness.
So, no matter what you are going through, remember this: With God, it is always better to suffer for doing what is right than to suffer for doing wrong!
