Leaping after Jesus

James Cathcart April 28, 2026 1 1

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1 Peter 2: 19-25 (NIV-UK)

19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22 

‘He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.’

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ 25 For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Leaping after Jesus is not always easy. In fact it’s often incredibly difficult. He was incredibly brave, selfless and compassionate. What is more, Jesus did not fall back on the classic human traits when cornered: violence, vitriol, venality and vindictiveness. Instead he chose vulnerability.

Now, God knows we are not Jesus. And God is not heartless and uncaring of our suffering. Discipleship is not a macho masochist exercise in self-denial, or it shouldn’t be. The suffering is not the point. But leaping with love leaves us vulnerable to all the ways the world can hurt us. This is why we must rely on God, and on one another, not simply on ourselves.

Leaping after Jesus conjures images of vibrancy, fulfilment and flourishing. But it won’t always feel like that — for instance when we face humiliation, oppression and punishment for following Jesus’s way of love.

But our suffering does not go unnoticed, unappreciated or unlamented. And it is one of the deep wonders of the universe that God can hold us close, enduring our suffering with us, and help us in this life and the next to rewrite the story.

Prayer:

Today God we remember all those who suffer violence, abuse, discrimination and marginalisation at the hands of the powerful and callous.

We pray for mercy, peace and justice to prevail.

We think of all those who have suffered as they leap after you to love the world.

Help us not to give in to violence, vitriol, venality and vindictiveness

and to instead choose vulnerability 

as we leap high

and far

with you.

Amen.