We Are Blessed By God

 BRP 1 Peter 2: 18

This verse as an American is troubling to me, it says that slaves should submit with fear to their masters, not just the good masters but to cruel masters too.

I have seen documentaries and heard tales from people that were African American slaves. Some have stated how the “white masters” would quote and with misrepresentation use the Bible’s verses dealing with slavery. The African Americans were severely mistreated, beaten, raped, torn from their families and who knows what all other kinds of humiliation and troubles they dealt with. We know from History class they were murdered, had their homes, and churches burned. Even after slavery was abolished they still dealt with a lot, and were not treated as equals to the whites. There are some places still that are very cruel to minorities.

Can you imagine having to submit and standby and/or serving a master that had murdered your child or spouse? I can’t! I have had a couple of unfair bosses in my day, but none compare with what these slaves dealt with. When we read the word of God there is a reason for all words spoken or given. Even if the words we read are hard to swallow, it is our duty to understand the reasoning, the context and outcome. You see when we face trials and have to submit we are in good company as the Lord, Jesus submitted to the authorities of the day, which in the end made for His death upon the cruel cross. Now, He submitted even though He could have called legions of angels to His rescue, or had God take it all away and curse us all to Hell. Yet, he humbled Himself as a servant, His captors and killers didn’t know the end of the story and how God would ultimately WIN. We know the rest of the story, death did not keep Jesus, He conquered death and came alive again. We never know either how God will use our trials to bring Him honor and glory. So, whatever you are facing remember God is with you in all things.