WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

1 Peter 3:13-17
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." 15 But 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, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

From the "Christians Strike Again" files comes a story from a friend who is a chaplain for a local police force. While riding along with an officer in his patrol car one day, my friend noticed a car zoom past at a high rate of speed. Of course, the officer followed in hot pursuit and pulled the driver over. He had reached 90 mph before the officer slowed him down.

The policeman walked to the car and then got an earful from the driver. "What are you doing pulling me over? Don't you have better things to do? And by the way, you're making me late for church."

Calmly the officer took the driver's documents and went back to the cruiser to write him four tickets: speeding, expired driver's license, expired registration, and no seatbelt on his son. When he walked back to give the man his tickets, the driver said, "And I have something for you." This lawbreaker-times-four then handed the officer a small booklet that explained how a person can receive salvation in Jesus..

When the officer came back to his car, he tossed the booklet toward my friend--who had been trying to witness to the officer about the difference Jesus makes--and said, "Christians? Different?" My friend didn't tell me how he replied after crawling out from under the seat.

How astonishingly absurd were that driver's actions! It is mind-boggling to think that a person could do all of those things wrong--including berating an authority figure--and then try to witness to him. Yeah, that'll work.

This story should encourage all of us to examine our individual words and actions. It should cause us to pray: Jesus, please don't let me be an embarrassment to Your name. Help me live in a way that when someone observes me, he or she will see a positive difference. Please stop me from any hypocrisy that would turn people away from You.

We, like that driver, must answer to God for anything we do that causes people to doubt the beauty and the joy of salvation. Let's show them the difference. --Dave Branon

DESTINATION POINTS

* Did I do anything today that would have sent my unsaved friends or relatives heading back the other way--away from Jesus?
* How can I actively show Jesus' love to the clerk at the grocery store, the telemarketer on the phone, even the person at work who irritates me?

LINKS:
Good Advice--Christians Call Me Gay
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/2002/003/21.16.html

bottom line: I may be the only "Jesus" some people ever see.

soul journey