At the ready (2)

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone
who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect
(1 Peter 3:15)

Be prepared has been the motto of the Scouting movement since 1908. More than a century later, preparedness is still a cornerstone of Scouting, as it helps young people to prepare for life. The motto was devised by its founder Robert Baden-Powell (notice the two BPs!), and the Boy Scout Handbook says 

His idea was that Scouts should prepare themselves to become productive citizens and strong leaders and to bring joy to other people. He wanted each Scout to be ready in mind and body and to meet with a strong heart whatever challenges await him.

In my previous post I reflected on the fact that the Bible calls Christians to be prepared in a variety of ways. But I think there’s one particular way which many of us struggle with, me included - telling other people about what we believe and why. In our heads we understand the logic of St Paul, who asks the question as to how people will believe in Jesus if no-one tells them about Him. But it still often feels a tough call. Sometimes God does remarkable things without human involvement. But more often than not He entrusts us with the responsibility of telling our own story of faith.
 
And each of us does have a story. We may not feel it’s particularly dramatic or interesting. And some of us may find it impossible to remember a time when we didn’t believe. But we still have a story that’s special, that’s unique to each of us. And that’s what we need to be prepared to share. We don’t have to change people’s hearts and minds; that’s God’s responsibility. We’re simply called to tell others what our faith means to us. Some people find the words to do this come naturally, while for others it’s more helpful to write about their journey of faith, as a way of gathering their thoughts and being better prepared to talk to others. Whichever is true for you, the key is to be prepared.
 
And it’s about always being prepared. It’s when we feel weak in our faith as well as when we feel strong. It’s when God feels far away as well as when He feels close. It’s when life is tough as well as when life is good. In the quote earlier, Baden-Powell wanted Scouts to be prepared so that they could bring joy to other people. What greater joy can people have than to know that God loves them, wants to be friends with them, and will give them hope both now and for eternity? Surely we want them to experience this!
 
Prayer - Lord, thank you for the joy I’ve found in being friends with you. Please grow in me the courage to share my story with others, so that they too have the chance to discover the same joy for themselves. Amen

Image by WOKANDAPIX from Pixabay