“Be Prepared” – 1 Peter 3.15

1 Peter 3.15 – “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

The Boy Scout motto is “be prepared.” Someone once asked the founder of the Boy Scouts Robert Baden-Powell, “Be prepared for what?” Baden-Powell answered, “Why, for any old thing.” The training Boy Scouts receive is meant to help them live up to the Scout motto.

Disciples of Jesus are also called to be prepared, but not for any old thing. We are called to be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have. A few things are required to be prepared in this way.

First, we have to have hope. We must live as if we believe what we say we believe, looking forward to the blessed hope of eternity with Christ. Secondly, the hope we have must be evident in our lives. If no one sees this hope in us, they will never ask us why we have it. Third, we must have an answer. We must know what we believe and why we believe it. I think we would be amazed at how many Christians would look like “deer in the headlights” if we asked them to give an answer for the hope they have. Finally, we should expect people to ask and have an answer ready when they do.

We must also always do this “with gentleness and respect.” Don’t say, “Because I’m not going to hell like you are!” What a turnoff that would be! We must always answer with love, sensitivity and respect. We must never be demeaning or condescending. Remember, you get more flies with sugar than with vinegar. This does not mean we sugarcoat the truth or water down the gospel, but we must always answer with love, gentleness, and respect.

Unlike the Boy Scouts, we aren’t called to “be prepared” for everything. We are only called to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have. Do you have hope? Does it show? Are you prepared to tell others why you have it?