1 Peter 4:15 KJV
[15] “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.”
There is a warning in this verse about suffering. The warning is that we need to know why we are going through it. Be sure that the suffering that comes into your life is not self-inflicted. We must be sure that we are suffering as a Christian and not as a criminal. I don’t want to live in a way that the Father has to punish me. Lot did not suffer because he was living for God but because he was not living for God. Peter suffered in his life because of self-inflicted wounds. I think he is speaking to us from experience in this verse.
Peter mentions four gang members in this verse that we should examine. First, we would say this is a wicked gang, and we should not be a part of them. You may think that you would never murder, steal, or bring evil upon someone. However, if you have murdered someone with your speech, then you are part of this gang. Maybe you didn’t take their life, but you killed their character with your words. Your weapon was not a gun or a knife, but it was your tongue. You are a murderer because you talk about people and destroy them in the eyes of others. Some people are serial killers when it comes to gossip. They kill the character of everyone they meet by running them down to others. They tell anything to anyone about anybody, no matter how bad it hurts the individual or their family.
What about a thief? People who do not tithe rob God. To steal from the very One that has given life to you is worse than robbing a bank or a convenience store. He is the One who gives you the strength and power to attain wealth. It takes more grit to rob the Creator than to rob a bank. Men have gotten away with bank robberies, but no one gets away with robbing God.
What about the evildoers? Some people love trouble more than they love the air they breathe. They can sniff it out like a bloodhound. They even know how to take a good situation and turn it around for evil. They are always involved in a mess because that is what they love. They despise people who try to do good because they are drawn to evil. We know them as troublemakers. We will find them in homes, churches, and on the job.
Finally, there are busybodies. The ones who like to get into other people’s business. Why would God label them in this vicious gang? They run together with the shared goal of destroying the lives of other people. Child of God, be sure you haven’t joined this ruthless gang!