Wise Words From an Elder – I Peter 5

I still get emails and text messages from members of our former church up north. Oftentimes the messages include questions, prayer requests, and requests for advice or counseling. One of the ways I like to conclude my responses is to remind the other person to keep plugging along.

The phrase encapsulates all of the things they learned from me as their pastor. All of the things the LORD has taught them continue to be true regardless of their circumstances. 'Keep plugging along' is my way of reminding them to keep doing what they know to be right and trust God to do whatever he is going to do.

Peter's final thoughts in this letter are somewhat similar. He closes with a few more truths. Yet the overall tone is one of 'take what you've learned and do something with it'. It's the tone of a wise elder exhorting the flock to do what they know is right, even though he's not there to personally watch over them.