Are You Ready?

Coming from a homeschool background, I missed out on the fire-drill days at school. But, while my wife Kim was a teacher, I was there at her school several times when the practice drills were done. Thinking about fire drills in your schools no doubt conjures up some kind of memories: that loud siren that makes you jump at first, standing out on the rec field, filing back in after the all-clear signal is given. When it's all said and done, it's comforting to know that the fire drill is just that - a drill, practice, and not real whatsoever.

If there were never a real possibility of a fire, then there's no reason to be ready. But it is a very real possibility, and so drills are conducted for that specific purpose: to prepare everyone for what steps to take if there should ever be an actual fire threatening the school. That's why being prepared is so important; so when the time comes to act, there's no question as to what you should do.

Read 1 Peter 3:15. Try to find the key words in the passage.

1) There are two verb phrases in today's verse: sanctify and be ready. Do you think there's a connection between the two? What is it?

2) Notice the manner in which we answer any questions we are asked - "with meekness and fear." Why is this so important?

3) What are some ways that you can prepare yourself to provide a defense?

If others around you know about your faith in Christ, the time will come before too very long when you will get asked question about what you believe. Some may be from peers who are just inquisitive about your beliefs; others will try to argue that you are ignorant or insane for holding the faith that you do. What Peter is stressing here is that we are prepared to answer whatever questions arise so that we may use those questions to explain about the miracle of salvation that is offered through Christ.

It's important for us to keep the right perspective on this verse. God is not a helpless individual desparately in need of someone to stick up for Him. He is perfectly capable of protecting Himself. The defense spoken of here that we are to provide is more of passive defense than it is an aggressive attack.