As Christians, we are often tempted to go incognito, fly "under the radar," and hide who we really are. We live in a society of political correctness that stands directly opposed to the Word of God with added pressures on the child of God who is often times fearful. Afraid to express ourselves while intuitively knowing that we are not to hide ourselves under a bushel basket but are called to let our light shine. Peter understood pressure and persecution even dying a martyrs' death. We too often times feel like bigots as we want to follow the Word of God and speak it in love though the world wants no part of it. The Word of God comes to us and says "do not be quiet or hide it and be ready to give an account of why you live the way you do!"

Admonition: "Sanctify the Lord God in your heart and be ready to give an account of the hope in you!" This reads sanctify Christ as your Master or may His rule be evident in your and my life! His Lordship should and must be evident. He is the One who saves us, makes us know the truth, and the one who sanctifies us and we MUST show forth in our lives! We may be afraid to speak it but must sanctify ourselves to the Lord God! Not an outward sheen or Phariseeism, but FROM THE HEART which is the new beginning. Live according to what He has made us....a child of God! And the circumstance should not matter at all. Sanctify or make Holy! A dedication if you will. He has redeemed us from sin, death, and the corruption of the body as He has chosen us! Those around us know not of Christ's working within us and making us His servants (which the world always makes a derogatory term) of Him. We call him Master! And He rules in us with His Word and His Spirit!

Expression: We struggle with this often with the 3 fold enemy of sin, Satan, and our flesh. He leads us in all the way of the truth as He rules over us and we MUST live it not only, but be ready! The hope (not a wish) within us is the Heaven that awaits us in the final salvation. Our aim is not this world but the city whose builder and maker is GOD! Others see our distinctiveness and ask us invariably "why do you live this way?" When we sanctify the Lord God in us we will be distinct. If you do not live distinctively they will not ask. Be ready to give an account of the hope that is within you! Why do you stand on God's principals about the Word of God? On Christian upbringing of your children? On marriage? We must do this in fear and meekness without arrogance because we ARE the children of God. Meekness which is strength as it comes from complete authority and out of it can relate to others who we are and in meekness can receive it from us. Only because of His underserved favor upon us. And do not be ashamed or worry about offending as witnessing is about sanctifying the Lord in our lives and when they ask about it with exuberance we will tell them! That is the Christian witness!

Result: That is the fear of God. When we do this others will either laugh and scoff at us or be receptive to what we have to say. Either way God's glory is shown and He is honored even in our witness. And...in the day of days He will be glorified BY ALL!