“but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬

My hometown had a rural swimming hole that was frequently used for skinny dipping. (I’d been there once myself as a teenager, at night. Exhilarating!) I don’t see anything wrong with swimming in the buff, but I suppose it could lead to some more reckless behavior in the wrong company. And maybe it is technically illegal. Still, I don’t feel it’s my job to police the behavior of other people, especially non-believers.

I knew one woman who disagreed with my philosophy. She would stand at the trailhead leading to the well-known skinny-dipping hot spot and ask people if they knew Jesus. I don’t think there’s necessarily anything wrong with that either, but it seems ill-advised.

For one thing, I don’t think it is an effective use of her time. Those people don’t want to stand around in the hot sun debating some random lady.

Also, her method is confrontational and quite judgmental. Presumably she chose that particular location, instead of a downtown street corner, because she has decided the visitors there are more sinful than she is. They must not know Jesus.

Finally, it’s not biblical. Sure, Jesus commanded His disciples to go into all the world and preach the Good News. But He didn’t say to only go to places you think the really bad or obvious sinners hang out. No. He said to go into all the world. Every place I go as I go about my life is my mission field.

And he didn’t tell His disciples to confront people about their perceived sins. He said to tell them how much God loves them. Preach the Good News! Their sin will be dealt with by God, in His time.

Today’s verse describes the more effective methodology: I am to live a life filled with bright hope, and when anyone comes to me, asking why I have hope, then I tell them about Jesus’s salvation born of God’s love. The key is people should be coming to me because I’m different.

Am I different? Am I shining hope, peace and joy throughout my day? Has anyone asked me about the reason for my hope?

If not, I have some work to do. And it’s not with a picket sign at the entrance to the nude beach.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for your love and salvation. I do not deserve it but am so very grateful for it. Remind me to live in gratitude and joy — so much so that people become curious and ask me about it. Give me the words and the courage to speak about you whenever it seems appropriate in my interactions. Forgive me if I ever think I’m better than anyone else and remind me that I’m a sinner very much in need of you.