Gentle, Not Silent

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect.”  - 1 Peter 3:15

The longer I live and interact with people, the more I see that everyone is looking for hope. Maybe it’s hope for a better life, hope for a relationship, or just hope that things will get better. Underneath all of these, though, lies the common search for more that every human being shares. Have you ever had a moment where you stopped, looked around, and thought, “There has to be more to life than this?”

As Christ followers, we have hope. According to this passage, in fact, our lives should display hope so clearly that it causes others to ask the reason we have such hope. “Always be prepared,” Peter said, “to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Does your life draw such questions? Is the hope you have in Christ so evident that people flock to you wondering what secret you have discovered?

We must be ready to give an answer, whenever and to whomever God sends our way.  But Peter reminds us that gentleness and respect must season our words. Jesus was bold in His proclamation of truth, but He was also gentle. It should be with humble, grateful hearts that we express the hope we have been given. We must always remember that it is by God’s grace and not our works that we have been saved.

What do you need to do to be ready to give a gentle answer for your hope? Maybe you need to spend some time in prayer, confessing and repenting of anxiety and fear so that your hope can shine through. Maybe you need to commit some Scripture to memory so that you can share God’s Word without notice. Whatever step you need to take, do it today. There is no time to waste. We are surrounded by souls searching for hope in all the wrong places. May our hope be a beacon that draws them to the Only Source of true hope, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, please help me to always proclaim Your truth with boldness and gentleness. Teach me how to balance the two so that others see You and not me. In Jesus’ name, amen.