Do I Speak for Jesus?

always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

1 Peter 3:15

How ready am I to defend the Gospel? Do I readily speak up when someone wants to know why I'm a Christian. Do I defend God's name when someone takes it in vain? Or, do I avoid the subject? Do I shrink from conflict or confrontation? I know that I should be more ready to speak in defense of Jesus who died for me. Yet, I don't like conflict. I don't want to push people away from me. I want to draw people to God. I don't want people to think of Christians as people who shove their theology down other people's throats. I believe we have the solutions in this verse. We must always be ready to speak in defense of the Gospel. Yet, we must do it with gentleness and reverence. We must be gentle and considerate. If we are filled with Holy Spirit, we will draw people to God, not push them away. As we have a proper fear of God, we will always speak with reverence and respect.

Lord, help me to balance truth and gentleness, honesty and love. Help me to be willing to speak in defense of You. Inspire me with words that draw people to You. Help me not to be afraid of people and what they may think. Help me to instead, fear You. I ask You to give me opportunities to boldly speak for You. And, then, I ask You to help me to take those opportunities so that You would be honored and people would be brought to You.