On December 26, 2013, 72 year old Cheryl Arnold was at work at an apartment complex. A masked man suddenly entered the office, pointed a gun at her, and demanded money. With her mace out of reach in a drawer, she grabbed the fire extinguisher by her desk and sprayed the man. He fled the scene and Cheryl was unharmed. Her actions were a great example of self defense as she responded to a threat and avoided danger.
There are many other situations that may require self defense as well, such a defendant arguing their case in court. This is a great picture of how the Christian life makes a case for God’s character. The world makes many claims about God, and our role is to present what He has truly done and who He truly is. The world learns the truth about God when His followers live the right way, even in hard times. We do not play the role of a lawyer defending God, but as 1 Peter 3:13-17 shows, we are witnesses providing testimony to what we have seen and heard.
13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. – 1 Peter 3:13-17
- Be zealous for what is right
No one can eternally harm you if you are in Christ, since whatever suffering we face in this life can not follow us to heaven. Because of this truth, we should focus on God, not on fear of man. Any suffering we face now does not compare with the great blessings of eternal life with Christ.
- Be prepared to give a worthy defense
When we truly place our hope in Christ, we will live for His glory and reject false idols and sin. The world will want to know why we live so differently, especially as we endure suffering. We must always be ready to tell others about the hope and salvation we have received.
- Be actively engaged in doing good
As we share the truth, we need to be gentle and loving so that the truth can be received. We also need to cultivate a clear conscience by constantly doing the right thing, and as we live a controlled and consistent life, we will establish a reputation of righteousness. All of this is done by trusting that God’s will is perfect and trustworthy no matter what we face.
Our lives are meant to reflect the character of God to the world around us. People are always paying attention to our testimony of who God is based on what we say and do, especially in hard times. Let’s be diligent to give a worthy explanation and defense for our source of hope.