…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
Truth be told, this is one of the HitchHiker’s favorite verses in all of Scripture; thank you, biblegateway.com, for making this The Verse of the Day! Let’s break it down:
- “in your hearts” – Don’t just say it; let it inhabit you.
- “honor Christ the Lord as holy” – Set 42 apart from worldly things, making the Triune God of Grace holy and sacred in your life.
- “always” – Not just on Sunday at worship or in private moments, but in every aspect of you life.
- “being prepared to make a defense” – The Greek word is ἀπολογίαν (apologian) which means to testify or explain as a witness.
- “to anyone who asks you” – The key here is that they ask you. It means that something they have seen is of interest to them to the point of inquiry; permission is given.
- “for a reason for the hope that is in you” – The trigger for them is the HOPE that is “in” you (see the first bullet) that is outwardly observable: Love, Passion, Peace, Actions, etc. flowing out of your relationship with 42.
- “yet do it with gentleness and respect” – Notice the word “yet” signals a contrary behavior of others. Your manner should be gentle and respectful, not aggressive and inconsiderate.
In other words, let your relationship with 42 exude out of you, allowing you to:
Walk the Walk before you Talk the Talk. This will attract others to 42!
SEARCHING FOR 42 