Seeds for 05/21/2024 - 1 Peter 3:15c-16
Scripture:
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.
Observation:
The message, the messenger, and the messaging. All of these are important, according to Peter.
He’s instructed his readers: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (3:15b)
In other words, understand the Gospel message and know how to speak to what Jesus means in your life personally. This is not the end of the instruction, however. The “what” is vital, but the “how” is too.
The “how” that is important to Peter is “gentleness” and “respect.” Confidence about the truth of the Gospel message is no blank check for harshness and condescension. I don’t mean to suggest there’s no place for a direct word of challenge and conviction—there is. But even that must be done “with a clear conscience.” It can’t be from a place of disregarding self-reflection or brushing off whether or not one is abrasive. Rather, it must come from a place of genuine love and authentic concern.
One’s delivery of the Gospel Message in words and in lifestyle is to be completely above board. If anyone should speak against how we live because of our loyalty to Jesus, the way we conduct ourselves in sharing our witness ought to “kill them with kindness,” so to speak. Relentless graciousness. Some people are impervious to a positive witness. But for many, consistent Christlikeness plants seeds that may very well result in a private conviction that piques interest in hearing that reason for hope in Jesus one more time.
Application:
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, you don’t just want me to learn the message, you want me to embody it as well. So fill me with your Spirit of “power, love and self-discipline.” Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
If you liked this post from Seeds of Faith, why not share it and/or subscribe?
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™