34. The Psalm says further: "Turn away from evil and do good"; that
is, beware lest on account of the wickedness of another you also
become wicked, for anger and revenge meditate only harm and
wickedness. Therefore be all the more diligent to do good, if you
can, that your heart may retain its honor and joy and that you may
abide in righteousness, and not fall from God's grace and from
obedience to him into the service of the devil. By anger and revenge
the devil tempts you, endeavoring to get you again into his toils and
to embitter your heart and conscience until you shall exceed others
in sin.
35. "Seek peace and pursue it," continues the apostle. This is a
sublime exhortation, and faithful, divine counsel. You must not
think, Peter would say, that peace will run after you, or that the
world--much less the devil--will bring it into your house. Rather you
will find the very opposite true. From without strife will be carried
to you in bales, and within your own heart will be kindled anger and
bitterness to fill you with everlasting disquiet. Therefore if you
desire peace, wait not until other people help you to obtain it, nor
until you create it for yourself by force and revenge. Begin with
yourself. Turn from the evil to the good. Even undergo suffering to
provide your heart with the peace which endures in spite of all that
would rob you of it. Strive ever to keep your heart firm in the
resolve: I will not be angry nor seek revenge, but will commit my
affairs to God and to those whose duty it is to punish evil and
wrong-doing. As for my enemy, may God convert and enlighten him. And
however much more of violence and wrong I may suffer, I will not
allow my heart to be robbed of its peace.
36. Notice, the way to preserve peace and to see good days even in
evil times is to keep a silent tongue and a quiet heart through the
comfort of divine grace and blessing. No outward occasion may be
given for strife, but always peace is to be sought with good words,
works and prayers. We must even pursue peace, follow after it, with
genuine and strong suffering. Thus we preserve it by force. In no
other way can a Christian see good days and hold fast his blessing.
Remember you must make strenuous effort if you would not reject your
blessing nor be influenced by another to carelessly lie and otherwise
sin with your tongue. Flesh and blood are weak and sluggish in the
matter of preserving peace, therefore Peter strengthens his
exhortation and further encourages us by the promise of God's help
and protection for the faithful and his punishment of their enemies.
He says:
"For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears unto
their supplication."
37. Inscribe this verse upon your heart in firm faith and see if it
does not bring you peace and blessings. Try to believe that God sits
above, sleepless and with his vigilant eye ever upon you. With
watchful vision he beholds the righteous as they suffer violence and
wrong. Why will you complain and become discouraged by reason of the
harm and grief you experience, when the gracious eyes of the true
Judge and God are upon you and his intent is to help you? All the
wealth of the world would I give, if I might, to purchase that
watchful care, or rather to obtain the requisite faith; for surely
the lack is not in his regarding, but in our faith.