lunchbox

In one episode from the comic strip "Peanuts", Lucy comes up to her brother, Linus, and tells him that she has "converted" someone in her class to her way of thinking religiously. Knowing his sister, Linus couldn't believe it. "How did you do it?" he asked.

Lucy explained, "I told him everything I believe and asked him if he believed it, too. When we came to something he didn't see my way, I just hit him over the head with my lunch box until he believed it!"

I've seen some instances of "lunch box evangelism", haven't you? It's not very effective. Unfortunately, there are times that the way we talk and the way we act make it difficult for us to share our faith with those around us.

Listen to these words of advice Peter gives to Christian women who are married to non-Christian husbands:

"In the same way, you wives should yield to your husbands. Then, if some husbands do not obey God's teaching, they will be persuaded to believe without anyone's saying a word to them. They will be persuaded by the way their wives live. Your husbands will see the pure lives you live with your respect for God." (I Peter 3:1-2, NCV)

Peter isn't saying that we shouldn't talk to people about the Christian life, but he is saying that it is more effective for others to see us actually living that life.

Know someone who needs to hear the gospel message? Put your lunch box away and be careful of the example that you set around them.