Living the Good Life, husbands and all

For most in today’s post-modern society, pursuit of the good life means primarily chasing after objects of self gratification. Peter here instructs husbands and then gives all believers a general exhortation, which will open them to the life of blessing.
A GOOD HUSBAND DESCRIBED – verse 7
There is six times as much said to wives as there is to husbands.
a) Show consideration – this speaks of being sensitive to the wife’s deepest physical and emotional needs, see Ephesians 5:25 – 28. He is to consider her spiritual well being. To know each other requires time, honesty, openness, patience, sensitivity and love.
b) Show courtesy. A wife is like a porcelain vase, which is of great value yet must be handled gently and with honour.
c) Show companionship. Intimate companionship in marriage, the richest blessing of this life, was a foreign concept in Peter’s day. Even richer is the privilege of those who have been called together into a joint partnership of fellowship with God and together enjoy the privileges of eternal life. Peter seems to assume that they will pray together. If all is not well in the relationship, then their prayer life will be affected. The thing that hinders prayers is sin, especially being unforgiving.
A GOOD LIFE DESCRIBED – verses 8 and 9
a) Show a good attitude, verse 8.
(i) Live in harmony with one another. Acts 2:1 and Ephesians 4:13. We are in tune with the Lord, we are in harmony with our family in Christ. When we are in disharmony, sin is present.
(ii) Live in sympathy for one another. There are always people who are hurting and who need our sympathy and compassion. 1 Corinthians 12:26, Romans 12:15 and Galatians 6:2. Like Christ, the sympathetic high priest, we must share in the feelings of others.
(iii) Live in love as brothers. We say ‘blood is thicker than water’, suggesting the tie which holds a family together. Believers have a similar link, but through blood which is far more precious.
(iv) Live in compassionate love. Our hearts need to be broken with the things that break the heart of our Lord. The root of the word is inner organs of the body. It speaks of innermost feelings. In this again our Lord set us a wonderful example – Matthew 9:36, Ephesians 4:32.
(v) Live in humility. This word means literally to be ‘friendly of mind’ or to be ‘courteous in our attitude’.
b) Show a good response – be a blessing, verse 9. We who belong to Christ and are possessed by Him should bring blessing wherever we go and through whatever we do. Our natural response is to retaliate – Luke 6:28. Peter says, don’t respond to abuse with more abuse, respond with kind words. The New English Bible translate thus: ‘retaliate with blessing’. What a marvellous ministry, God has entrusted to us. Peter reminds us that when we bring blessings to others, we are blessed ourselves. That is a wonderful way to live. This is how Christians ‘get even’.
A GOOD LIFE REWARDED – verses 10 to 12
Peter sums up the whole with a quote from Psalm 34. It enforces the truth that the path to the good life is practical godliness. It is turning form sinful inclinations to walking in fellowship with God. It concerns our tongues, it concerns our actions and it concerns our attitudes. Romans 12:18, 14:19. We are to take the initiative to do all we can to restore strained relationships. It’s always more of a hassle to that than it is to let it slide. We hope that time will heal and its humbling to admit wrongs. But healthy Christian-like relationships are important because prayers are hindered if we are not sensitive and obedient. There is a way to live that hinders and a way to live that helps prayers.
CONCLUSION
Our responsibility is to please the Lord by doing good in our walk and talk. He is responsible to protect us and to answer our prayers. The world’s view of ‘good times’ will be different to the view which God has. The joys of lives in Christ are maximised when believers are united in truth and life, peaceful, gracious, sensitive, compassionate and humble like their saviour.