“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” – 1 Peter 2:15
People are going to talk about us, at least if we’re correctly living our faith in Jesus Christ. That’s a reality. People are going to say things they shouldn’t about Christians and about Christ. Hurtful things. False things. Ridiculous things. Nasty things. It’s been true for two thousand years. Across the centuries, Christians have been called cannibals, fools, haters, traitors, and the list goes on…
As the rhetoric once again rises against those who hold to the historical truths of the Christian faith, note well how God desires for His people to respond: by doing good. God doesn’t want us to silence the ignorance of foolish people by talking louder than they talk. He doesn’t want us to shout them down. He doesn’t want us to out-debate them. He doesn’t want us to act like bigger and more ignorant fools. He doesn’t want us to curse and complain about them to one another. He doesn’t want us to humiliate them or make fun of them. He doesn’t want us to fight fire with fire. He doesn’t want us to pursue legal actions to silence them.
God commands us to respond to the ignorant and hateful rhetoric of our day (and every day) by doing good deeds in the name of Christ. He wants our love, our service, and our kindness to thunder His name in the face of ignorance. He wants our Christ-like care for one another and for those in need to speak for us. How are you responding to the ignorance of foolish people – with your words or your good works?