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Author: Brian Laba, from the Servants of the Word, an international, ecumenical brotherhood of men living single for the Lord.

In his first letter, Peter writes, “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)

Peter makes some assumptions here that are worth holding up to our own lives. Most importantly that we have something special within us as Christians. We have hope. This hope is the indwelling life of God poured into our hearts. This hope makes all the difference, though we eat and sleep and work and play as all do, we do these carrying a precious and sure hope within us. We do these things differently, even to the point of suffering differently and dying differently. All this because we carry the hope of eternity with Christ inside ourselves. Another assumption Peter makes is that this different way of being, this hope, will cause people to ask questions. It will cause people to ask: “why is this one different?”

We need to be ready to answer when asked. Our time is limited, and it may be the last time someone asks about hope. How can they know of the hope if no one tells them? How can you be better ready today to share with love the hope you have?

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.