1 Peter 2

Have you ever had someone in another car get mad at you while you're driving? Maybe they lay on their horn, or give you the finger. And then when they pull in front of you they have a Jesus fish on their back bumper? This has happened to me a couple times, and it makes me think of 1 Peter 2:12: "Keep your conduct among Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."

The "Gentiles" Peter is referring to are unbelieving non-Jews. These people would look to slander Christians, and would use anything they could as ammo against them. So Peter wants his readers to behave in such a way that these unbelievers will have nothing to use against them. In fact, he wants them to behave this way until the day of judgment. The idea is that unbelievers would see their good deeds long enough that they would actually turn from being slanderers to being believers, and praise God when he returns.

So of course I'm sad when the person raging at me on the road has a symbol of Christianity on their bumper. Everyone else on the road sees what I'm seeing, and probably thinks what I'm thinking: "You call yourself a Christian?" But then how often do I conduct myself dishonorably around people who know I'm a Christian? I'm telling them with my words that I'm different—that I'm loving and kind and patient—but my actions say otherwise.

Friends, the "Gentiles" are all around us; we are always being watched by those who do not believe, probably closely if we are bold about our faith. So let's make sure our behavior lines up with the faith we're professing. Let's conduct ourselves in such a way that they will see and have nothing to say but give glory to God.