The Day That Comes Like a Thief

I study apocalyptic literature, and 2 Peter gets a lot less attention than Revelation. But this image is actually sobering: the day of judgment comes unexpectedly, like a thief in the night, and the elements will dissolve with intense heat. Everything visible will be 'laid bare.'

Peter's not writing to scare people into faith - he's writing to remind them that THIS WORLD IS NOT FOREVER. We live like it's permanent. We hoard money. We build legacies. We fight over land. But if all the visible stuff is going to be dissolved, maybe we're investing in the wrong things.

I took early retirement from my legal practice to do environmental activism. People think I'm crazy - leaving a lucrative career to fight climate change and environmental justice. But reading Peter, I realized: if the earth is temporary, that's not a reason to ignore its suffering. That's a reason to love it NOW. To advocate for justice now. To repair what's broken now, knowing it's not permanent but real.

Living in the light of the thief that comes unexpectedly has made me less attached to accumulation and more committed to actual righteousness. That's the invitation Peter extends.