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
I believe that this verse has an important message for us today. I live in a nation that, while in many ways still strong, is descending into spiritual darkness. People are growing cold toward the things of God, looking instead to their own self-interests. We are indeed becoming a pagan nation, a nation of people who give no thought to God and no place in their lives for him.
And all too often, those who identify as God’s people live no differently than the pagans around them. The world might not even know we existed if it were not for what we complain about and our attempts to legislate morality. I am afraid that all too often, we drive people further away from God by our actions.
Living Among the Pagans
But Peter calls on us to take a different approach. To live such good lives among the pagans that, in the end, they will glorify God. We are called to be light in a world of darkness (Matt. 5:14-16). And we can best do that by how we live, following the example of Jesus while he walked among us. Our words will be much more effective when they are backed up by our actions. Live holy and godly lives that demonstrate the love of God to the world around us. Let people see the difference God’s presence makes in your life. That will be much more effective in drawing people to our Lord than complaining about how they are treating us.