The Bible never fails to surprise.

I recently came across 1 Peter 4:14 where the apostle is writing to encourage believers who are surrounded by hostility. Here is what he says: “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

Under normal circumstances being insulted isn’t usually considered a blessing. It’s something we’d rather avoid. But here, Peter tells them that if they are insulted because of the name of Christ—meaning, because they are followers of Jesus who are speaking his message and doing his work—they are blessed. 

He then provides a reason: “for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” This blows my mind. If we could see into the spiritual realm, we would actually be able to see the Spirit of glory and of God draped around the insultee with splendour, beauty and magnificence!

This is an important reminder for us today. A part of spiritual growth and maturity is learning to see our day-to-day lives through a heavenly lens. When we re-focus our otherwise blurry vision perceptions start to change. We see how faith can move mountains, how the last shall be first and the first shall be last, how grace embraces the sinner, how Goliaths can be slain, how death itself is already dead, and how being insulted because of the name of Christ results in the Spirit of glory and of God resting upon you.

William Gurnall has said: “If they spit on your face, Christ will wipe it off.”* What an amazing experience that would be! Solidarity with Jesus isn’t just about what you do for him, but what he does for you. 

“If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

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Notes:

–The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on February 6, 2023.

–*William Gurnall, ed. James S. Bell Jr., The Christian in Complete Armour (Chicago: Moody Press, 1984), entry for Mar. 28.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.