Saturday Night Devotions

I Peter 3:8

     Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.

     Peter now turns from relationships in the home to relationships in the church.  It was to Peter that Jesus gave the appeal to “Feed my sheep” and now Peter passes that encouragement on to us.  He calls on us to be of one mind – not just unified in vision, but unified in the sense that we see the need to do all we can to look out for one another’s wellbeing.  As best we can we want to know our brother’s state of mind so that we can do what we can to add to his joy and his peace of mind.  We are to have sympathy, pity, courtesy, and compassion for all in the church.  If our thoughts toward are other believers tend to be harsh and critical, and it is difficult to remember the last time we provided encouragement for anyone in the church, we are in disobedience to this passage.  Let us avoid the temptation to be the church critic, and instead strive to be the church caretaker, not for the church grounds, but for the church people.