1 Peter 3:15-16 NLT
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
What does it mean to “worship Christ as Lord of your life”?
Let’s go backward for a second:
1 Peter 3:14 NLT
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.
Do you sometimes feel that you don’t get your deserves? Do you think that the things that you do are not appreciated or are overlooked? Do you think you are sometimes slighted even when you know what you are doing is far and above the call of what you are to do?
For me, I always wanted what I figured that I earned by my efforts even to the point of resentment.
I did this until I realized that everything that came to me came to me by God’s hand, even if the check came from my employer. And my faith is such that if my employer doesn’t pay me what God feels I am worth, someone else will.
Colossians 3:23-24 NLT
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
When you work, willing at whatever you do, this is a form of “worshiping Jesus as Lord of your life.”
Our focus needs to be on working for the Lord, our standards should be higher, and our efforts should be far above what people expected. God will see that the rewards are distributed justly.
When we work this way, our co-workers will not understand it and may resent it. We must resist the urge to pull back. Doing this is the example of a follower of Jesus that will attract others to the love of Jesus Christ. People will see you as hopeful, and when they ask you about your hope, you must be “ready to explain it.”
If people don’t see you as hopeful, this is something that you need to bring to God and ask Him to give you hope.
And when we explain our hope, we are to explain this in a “gentle and respectful way.”
Our faith shouldn’t be brandished like a weapon, with force and arrogance.
We did nothing to earn our salvation, and we should be humble in our explanation, gently and respectful.
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Word.
I pray that You continue to shape my heart, change my mind, and give me a gentle spirit.
I pray that You put someone in my path today that I can explain my hope too, and I pray that You bless that conversation with a converted heart.
I am grateful for your love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness; please let me look at others and bless them in the same way.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️