good answers

I was taught once, and took to heart, that if you serve people and live gratefully, that will look noticeably different and eventually people will ask why. That’s when you have a chance to tell them about Jesus.

I think whoever taught me that may have learned it from 1 Peter 3:15-16: “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, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Always be ready to tell people when they ask what you hope in and why. Peter is pretty sure that we’ll be asked this question, and he wants us to think about it ahead of time. What will we say when the moment arrives? If we’re surprised, we probably won’t answer very well.

There’s one catch, though: we have to obviously have hope. Hopeless people will never be asked this question. No one is interested in hearing from defeated or cynical or bitter people; those kinds of people can’t tell us how to live fuller lives.

This world gives us plenty of reasons to live negative lives. It can seem like evil is winning. It can seem like most people are bad. It can seem like life is random.

It can seem like it, but none of those things are true. Jesus is Lord, and Satan and death are already defeated. All of life is under his control, and by God’s common grace most people want to overcome their worst nature. 

Jesus is the source of our hope, and he’s the only source of hope that makes sense in a world like ours. So let’s live like victorious, hopeful people. If we do that, then we’d better take Peter’s advice and be prepared to tell people why.