Another comment I overheard that night, ”I just knew they’d come!” came from a smiling middle-aged man to his friend as we stopped at his street, making our announcement about the free blankets and hot drinks. More highlights: The woman who we gave a baby’s blanket to because a kind young mom from my work had donated it; the man who special-requested a sleeping bag that we were able to provide for after one was generously donated by Matt’s coworker; the enthusiastic responses from three ladies I work with who want to come along next time we go. One lady down the hall mentioned checking if the local Starbuck’s stores would consider each donating one of the large catering containers for us to give out on a cold night. It gets me fired up to see other people coming on board to a beneficial cause. Beneficial not only to the recipients of the gifts, but sometimes much more to the giver. Interesting how that works.

A lot of amazing things happen when you put together something like this and invite people to participate. I’m not one to force my beliefs on others, and I know that can certainly turn into a prideful excuse for not speaking up about an issue when I know I should, but when I exercise the God-given ability and motivation to do something out of the ordinary, I suddenly find that people have genuine questions, to which I have the opportunity and obligation to respond. One of the simplest responses I’ve been able to use in this case is just to explain that the homeless guy on the street, even the drug addict or the prostitute, is a picture of who I am in front of a holy God, who would still be perfectly justified if he had never reached out to help me.

And my response to those who have questions can all go back to the joy and hope that is within me, that no one can take away. One of the exciting points about 1 Peter 3:15, when talking about honoring Jesus Christ by “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you,” is the assumption that people are actually going to ask questions. The most likely way you’re going to have people ask questions is if you’re different, and that had better be in a good way, not some obnoxious, personal preference issue, but I’d rather not go into those specifics here. A quick side note about the Apostle Peter’s charge in 3:15 is to notice that he cautions the believer to “do it with gentleness and respect,” which far too many Christians completely miss. I think it was Tim Chaddick of Reality LA in Hollywood that was suggesting how one of the biggest ways people come to Christianity is by what they saw and wanted in the life of a Christian they knew; ironically that happens to also be the biggest reason people reject Christianity, after observing hypocrisy in the life of someone claiming to be a Christian. And yet of course there is no formula for convincing people to become a Christian, because the Bible repeatedly nails down the truth that God does the work in someone’s heart, even though the believer may have the honor of verbally explaining it as they live out Christianity with their actions. I could say or do all I want, or give the strongest possible intellectual defense for Christianity, and that is beneficial in the right context, but it’s certainly not enough to change someone’s heart. Christians are to go do the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20, but success for the believer, thankfully, does not depend on the audience’s response to the message.  A Christian does what the Bible calls them to do, faithfully living it out as a way of life, then the end result, whatever it may be, is left up to God, who has his reasons in all that he does and allows. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8).