PEOPLE ARE WATCHING. 1st Peter 2:12 . When the Lord Jesus Christ was here, He told His disciples: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Peter gave the same advice to those who read this letter. Our actions in life speak for themselves. When believers in Christ are committed to living for their Lord and Savior, those who may have no interest in hearing the Gospel preached may end up praising (glorifying) God.
We do not have to defend ourselves with words because "good works" do so in a more powerful and meaningful way. The unbelievers are not coming to a snap judgment on the spur of the moment, but have been observing the consistent, beneficial Christian conduct and actions. Their evaluation may be that which brings blessing to themselves, let alone "glorify God" on the day of inspection. That will be when the actions of the saints and sinners are inspected by God when He visits.
For many people today, Christianity is just a label that identifies a group of people. True Christianity is a life lived by people whose attractive, honorable, and gracious integrity and upright conduct show that they know God and who they are before God. They want other people to have the same blessings in life that they have, and the same assurance of eternal life that believing in Him gives us.
It is our hope that the "day of visitation" will be a time of salvation for sinners who have seen the high quality of life Christians live. Without skillful arguments or eloquent speeches, the attractiveness of believers' lives influences them to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to be expected that the contrast between the quality of life of a child of God and that of pagan unbelief will draw slander from the "evildoers." Evidence of godly character and the power of the word of God demonstrated in an individual's life cannot be discredited.
It is important that we show what our Lord Jesus Christ is like by how we conduct our lives. Believers may be criticized now, but the “day of visitation” may reveal that those who were once hostile and misunderstood what real Christianity is were saved by God’s grace. They observed the lives of those who lived as pilgrims and strangers and saw what they were missing. Husbands whose wives were saved watched and listened to their wives’ prayers, saw their wives’ attitudes toward both their husbands and God, and wanted the peace their wives had.
Children who watched, and sometimes resented, their parents’ godly lives, after years of sinning may return to the “God of their fathers.” Godly lives of Christians remain the most powerful testimony to the Gospel for unbelievers. At the beginning of this age, people “took knowledge of those who had been with Jesus.” Any time God draws near is a “day of visitation.” It can be a day of blessing or judgment.
Both in the day of grace, when the Lord is saving souls, and in the day of judgment, God will be honored, and the lives of believers who live righteous lives and do good works will be made plain by Him who judges justly. How wonderful it is when those who once criticized and opposed the Gospel join in praising God! The God who saved them both will be glorified. The image presented is that of God as the "overseer" (a bishop) who diligently inspects the actions of believers and unbelievers alike. In view of that "day of visitation," we are challenged to "abstain" from any desire of the flesh that opposes the holiness of life and to labor in the work to which we are called.
The conduct of life has a lot to say about what is important and really matters to me. The way I work and talk every day testifies to people who believe only what they see. So even though they choose to talk behind my back, the problem is theirs far more than mine. They know in their hearts there’s something they lack, and that’s why they are looking for some fault to find.
There is consolation; a day is coming when they will want help or face a serious need. When that time comes, by God’s grace, I’ll be waiting to help them along, and they will heed my words. I believe there comes a time in each life when people know they need God and don’t know where to turn. When that day comes, may I have shed enough light so that they will no longer spurn what I do and have to say.
I do worry about those who are close; maybe there is something in me that turned them away. I search, looking back over some decisions I made, to see if there is any action I can take to sway their will, turning them from sin to God. Lord, help them see that what they’re doing affects others – by grace, call them back to begin life over again – and help me to live in a way that honors Thee, Father.