Peter reminds us that such suffering is part of the Christian calling. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. A big thank-you to our members, men and women of God, and our pastors and wives who have endured criticism because of the cross of Christ. The work of pastors is compared to that of shepherds.
Shepherds lead, prod, watch out for, nurture, rescue and direct the sheep.
A shepherd's work can be grueling. The powerful story of rescue and salvation in Luke 15, of leaving the 99 to find the one who is lost, motivates us. Salvation is often pictured, in both the Old and New Testaments, as rescue from a pit. There are many present-day pits people of God may fall into, such as drunkenness and drug addiction. There are pits of unemployment, illness and disease.