Ready to Answer

"When the queen of Sheba

heard of Solomon's fame,

she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions."

2 Chronicles 9:1a

She had heard stories of great wisdom and had come to see for herself.  She didn't hold back but vigorously tested the rumors.  The queen of Sheba grilled Solomon relentlessly and came away with a high opinion of him, realizing that what she had heard was true.

While it must have flattered Solomon to have such a woman show an intense interest in him, there are more important questions I may be asked as people notice my faith.  As a follower of Christ, I must always be ready to give the reason for the hope that I have (1 Peter 15-16).

Gospel.  It doesn't take a degree or special training.  I don't have to hold a certain position or designation to have the authority.  If I know Jesus, I am equipped to share the gospel.

Letting others know the good news about Jesus Christ does not take some kind of formula or sales pitch.  The truth is, it only takes a heart willing to be used by the Holy Spirit to share the life-giving message (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).  If it had something to do with my clever presentation or intellectually stimulating argument, I would get some of the glory.  As it is, my status as a child of God is completely due to what Jesus has done for me in dying on the cross as a punishment for my sins, and in how the Father has drawn me to Him, showing me my desperate need for Him (John 6:44).  

The closer I get to Jesus, the more I want others to know of His goodness.  The more I realize the depth of my depravity and my utter dependence upon the grace of God to save me through faith in Jesus Christ, the more I want to share of that grace.  This change of heart is all as a result of His indwelling Spirit at work inside of me.

Therefore, when someone asks why I am at peace when my life seems to be falling apart, I will eagerly share of my hope in an eternal life secured by the blood of Jesus and offered by a God who loves me (John 3:16-17).  When I am stopped in my tracks as an acquaintance wonders why I bother to say a kind word to those who are gruff to me, I can't help but tell of a God who loved me enough to pluck me from certain death even though I was His enemy (Romans 5:8).  When others notice my smile, I want to tell of the joy that is found in knowing Jesus (1 Peter 3:8).

I must always be ready to share the good news of Jesus Christ that has given me so much hope.

Source of Goodness.  It's easy to give credit to luck, effort or smart planning for the good things in my life.  It would be simple to tell of the plans I made years ago that resulted in the position in which I now find myself.  It wouldn't be hard for me to take the credit for any wisdom, talents or gifts I regularly use.

When others ask me how I reached such a position, I could either tell about all the years of hard work that propelled me up the ladder, or I can tell of the goodness of God and how anything is possible with Him.  

When I receive a compliment on a job well done or a task beautifully completed, I could either take the opportunity to pump up my own ego or I could graciously share how I would not have been able to even start such a project if it weren't for the faithfulness of God who continually gave me all that was necessary.  

When people wonder how I can keep going forward in the face of such turmoil and difficulty, I could either talk about my ability to focus or I could tell about my reliance of Jesus as my source of strength (Philippians 4:13).

I must always be ready to give credit to God as the source of everything good in my life (James 1:17).

Sovereignty.  What if it rains?  What if I get into an accident?  What if my coworkers don't show up?  What if, what if. . .the "what ifs" often threaten to overtake me.  In reality, God is a good God and He holds the blueprint for my life in His hands (Jeremiah 29:11).  Therefore, I need not fear about what may happen, for God knows exactly what will happen and He will be there with me every step of the way (Psalm 139:5,16).

Acknowledging God's sovereign nature results in peace as my role in life is boiled down to following His lead.  Since I've been absolved of all responsibility for finding solutions to my problems, providing for all of my needs, and fighting every battle that comes my way, I discover a calm spirit of tranquility settling into my heart.  It's no longer up to me to succeed but Him to achieve His purposes through me.  What a relief!

When hard times come, then, I can give a message of hope as I convey my belief that God's good plan will weave something beautiful out of the mess I see around me (Romans 8:28).  When things go differently than I expected, instead of lashing out in anger and frustration, I can quietly express my faith in God's good plan.  Even though I may not understand it, simply knowing His plan is there can give me hope.  When it's clear I've lost control of my life, I can rest easy knowing that God never wrings His hands and His strength never runs out (Isaiah 40:28).

I must always be ready to submit to God's sovereign plan, acknowledging His dominion over the details of my life.

No one likes to be put on the hot seat, but as a follower of Christ, many are watching the way I live my life.  As a result, I can expect to be questioned as they see the peculiar way I handle the details of my life.  Therefore, I must always be ready to share the gospel, acknowledge God as the source of all good things, and admit to God's sovereignty over all things.  In these ways, I'll be giving an answer for the hope I have despite the hopelessness of this dark world.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stay in a state of readiness to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

How do I hold back because I'm afraid to say the wrong thing?

Can I trust God to empower me to deliver the message He wants me to give?