It is no secret that we Southerners tend to act with extreme caution when it comes to snow, sleet, and ice in the local weather forecasts, but it is for good reason. We simply do not know how to correctly prepare for such an event. One of the dull jokes I tend to tell when the weather causes life to shut down, like today, is that people have strange appetites when it snows.

The exchange will go something like this:

Me: “I know this sounds weird, but everyone in town must be eating milk sandwiches today.”

Response: “Why would people eat that?”

Me: “I don’t know, but all the milk and bread are gone from the grocery store.”

The conversation either ends in a chuckle or an eye roll.

No one wants to be unprepared for what might happen. We want to know we’ll have enough food to eat. We want to make sure the generator is ready in case the power goes out. Maybe we’ll gather wood for a fire or stock up on enough coffee for an extra pot. Whatever it is, preparation gives us a sense of readiness. But what about our spiritual readiness? Are we as prepared to share the gospel of Christ with our friends and neighbors?

The Apostle Peter gave his readers some instructions about this very idea, saying,

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…

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

Are you prepared to share Christ? Here are some tips we can draw from this text.

Worship the Lord in your heart.

Is the Christian faith a true, deeply abiding, and personal faith? Jesus is worthy of all the honor our hearts can give, and not only does he deserve our devotion, but as Lord, he commands it. To honor Christ as Lord in our hearts means to place the Lord God at the center of our lives, acknowledging his holiness, goodness, and our need for him.

Christian worship should bring out of us the uttermost heartfelt reverence for who Jesus Christ is. God desires for us to have an inner posture of surrender.

Let your hope be noticeable.

Christians, we have a Savior who took our sins upon himself, paid the debt we owed to God, and granted us a righteousness we did not earn by faith in his name. We have a great hope. It is a hope that sustains faith. It gives us peace in difficult seasons. It fills us with joy, even in sorrow. It gives us life after we die. As we ponder this hope in our hearts, let us live and love in a way that puts our hope on full display.

Prepare to share.

Some Christians find it intimidating to tell someone about Jesus, but “always being prepared” doesn’t mean having all the answers or coming up with the perfect arguments. It means being prepared to share the hope of our own hearts—how Christ has saved us.

But Peter reminds us of an important point: we are to share the gospel with gentleness and respect. Sharing our faith isn’t about winning debates. It is about showing others the love that has already been shown to us through the Lord Jesus Christ. However, when they ask, tell them. People don’t go to heaven just because they saw you pay for someone’s lunch or admire your strong resolve when things are not going well. They need to hear about Jesus.

So reflect on your Christian hope, live it out, and be prepared to share the gospel with anyone who asks. After all, just like we wouldn’t want to face a winter storm without the ingredients for a milk sandwich, we don’t want to be caught unprepared to share the reason for the hope we have in Christ. After all, the gospel is much more urgent than any sandwich or dairy product.

Bee-Attitude

Blessed are you who are prepared to share your hope in Christ, for you will point others to him.