Live Such

 "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

— 1 Peter 2:12

Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King,

As Peter's readers lived out their lives as foreigners and exiles among unbelievers, they were instructed to live their lives honorably. They weren't to form a holy huddle and remain secret and secluded from the world. Instead they were to be an influence upon the world by infiltrating it. As believers today, we are in this world but not of this world (John 17:14-16). The world is watching us. They are observing our lives. Though they accuse us of doing wrong because we don't participate in their sin, their beliefs, or their worldly ways, they will see our good deeds.

It is often asked of a church congregation, "If we suddenly were no longer here in our city, would anyone notice?" In other words, is the work of the Gospel in our city making a difference? Would our city notice and feel the loss if we weren't here? As an unbelieving world inspects the lives of followers of Jesus, the desired outcome is that they will one day see our "beautiful, good, virtuous, honest, and excellent" work and glorify God, whether that day is when they stand before Him at judgment or when He visits them in the midst of a crisis.

Lord Jesus, may we be a church community that is living such good, honorable lives among an unbelieving generation that though they'll slander us and make up stories and spread rumors about us, they won't be able to discount or explain away the impact we make in our community. They'll have to attribute that way of living to the One we are following. When they come to the end of themselves and reach that moment of crisis, I pray they will recall the lives of those who have consistently represented You well, then remember the Gospel they have heard, and reach out to You for rescue.

— In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen!

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