A man is being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy street. Suddenly, the light turns yellow, just in front of him. He does the honest thing, and stops at the crosswalk, even though
he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman hits the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she misses her chance to get through the intersection with him.
As she is still in mid-rant, she hears a tap on her window and looks up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer orders her to exit her car with her hands up. He takes her to the police station where she is searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman approaches the cell and opens the door. She is escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer is waiting with her personal effects. He says, I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, and the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.”
Pretty funny right!?
Until it happens to you!
Who are you? The apostle Paul writes in chapter 15 of Romans,
14 I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.
That is so true about you and me as well. We know the right things to do and in fact we could
and do teach all about them. It is the "living them out" part that is so tough.
I mention all of this to direct our attention to something Peter said in his first epistle:
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.”
-I Peter 3:15
For Peter, a man who comes across in his early days as boisterous and contentious – definitely an eye for an eye man – this is significant.
Peter is giving instructions to believers on how best to carry on in a hostile culture. He is saying that we are to lead with our lives, and that in so doing, it might bring an opportunity for our words to follow.
And the words that follow are to be given with gentleness and respect.
In the case of sharing our faith? What is Peter getting at? Are we to fear the people who’ve asked us to share a bit about our hope?
I don’t think so. Go back and look at the very beginning of verse 15:
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord."
I think what Peter is getting at is to be in fear. Better yet, be in awe of the moment.
When these moments come - when our lives have earned us the right to be heard - the presence of the Lord has arranged the appointment – both for us to share and for others to hear.
It is a holy moment, and He is with us. Don’t miss it.
Go Give em Heaven,
Pastor Scott
he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman hits the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she misses her chance to get through the intersection with him.
As she is still in mid-rant, she hears a tap on her window and looks up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer orders her to exit her car with her hands up. He takes her to the police station where she is searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman approaches the cell and opens the door. She is escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer is waiting with her personal effects. He says, I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, and the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.”
Pretty funny right!?
Until it happens to you!
Who are you? The apostle Paul writes in chapter 15 of Romans,
14 I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.
That is so true about you and me as well. We know the right things to do and in fact we could
and do teach all about them. It is the "living them out" part that is so tough.
I mention all of this to direct our attention to something Peter said in his first epistle:
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.”
-I Peter 3:15
For Peter, a man who comes across in his early days as boisterous and contentious – definitely an eye for an eye man – this is significant.
Peter is giving instructions to believers on how best to carry on in a hostile culture. He is saying that we are to lead with our lives, and that in so doing, it might bring an opportunity for our words to follow.
And the words that follow are to be given with gentleness and respect.
In the case of sharing our faith? What is Peter getting at? Are we to fear the people who’ve asked us to share a bit about our hope?
I don’t think so. Go back and look at the very beginning of verse 15:
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord."
I think what Peter is getting at is to be in fear. Better yet, be in awe of the moment.
When these moments come - when our lives have earned us the right to be heard - the presence of the Lord has arranged the appointment – both for us to share and for others to hear.
It is a holy moment, and He is with us. Don’t miss it.
Go Give em Heaven,
Pastor Scott
1 Comment
Good stuff!!