God Blesses Honorable Behavior

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 … For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.
1 Peter 2:12,15

When we ask, “What is God’s will?” we tend to think in terms of some grand cosmic plan God has for us. While God does have a plan for humankind, we should do what we can to discover God’s specific path for us. We need to take note that Peter makes “God’s will” a simple daily act. It is God’s will that our good lives should honor him before our unbelieving neighbors. It sounds simple, but it’s a high calling and a challenge. It makes us consider what the unbelievers around us think of us. Do they consider us honorable? Are our lives “good”? Are our lives a positive witness to them, no matter how much they may disagree with us or even dislike us?

God promises that when we live honorably before unbelievers, we are doing his will. We can pray daily to be able to live good and honorable lives among the unbelievers around us. We also can pray that God will protect us in times of spiritual warfare and that any false accusations against us would be silenced. We can pray that our God-honoring behavior will help bring others to faith while it brings glory to God.

GOD’S PROMISE TO ME
• I will bless your honorable behavior.

• Your good behavior among unbelievers brings honor to me.

MY PRAYER TO GOD
Lord, I pray that my life will be such a shining example of you that others—even accusers and troublemakers—will be drawn to you.