1 Peter 3:13-18a - Building a home in Juarez, Mexico

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-18a


Summary: Better to suffer for doing good, rather than for doing evil. Christ suffered in order to bring you to God.

Thoughts: This scripture makes me think about our recent mission trip to Juarez, Mexico. The week after Christmas our family joined a small mission team who went to Juarez to build a concrete block house for a family living in a cardboard house. We went even though almost every one of our friends and family had urged us not to go. We knew that there had been alot of violence in Mexico in the past year, especially in Juarez. Because of the violence, I had stopped taking youth on mission trips to this area. But I was still feeling called to go to Juarez. I wanted to see all of my friends in the area and I wanted to build a house for one family. We work with Proyecto Abrigo in Juarez, a religious organization that has gone from building hundreds of houses each year with the help of volunteers, to building 15-20 houses in a year. And it's not like the violence is keeping the poor people from migrating from central Mexico to Juarez. There are still more jobs in Juarez than in the central part of the country. Since the poor people are still moving to Juarez, I wanted to show someone that we still cared about the people there. And so we went. Despite the warnings from everyone, including the US border guards. This scripture says perfectly why we went to Juarez. First, we hoped that since we were going there to do good, perhaps no one would harm us. Second, even if we did suffer, we would be suffering because we had been doing what was right. Although I am not willing to put other people in danger, I was willing to put myself in danger, for what was right. And I was willing to let my children make the same decision for themselves. Because we follow the Christ who suffered for us and we are called to follow his example.

Prayer: Christ, it is beyond comprehension why you were willing to suffer for us, the lost creatures that we are. But in response, I are called to follow you. Help me to take up my cross, perhaps suffering because of it, so that your will might be done here on earth. Amen.