Ready To Defend
December 22, 2000

She had done everything right. She had started with the office while in high school. She had advanced upward through the ranks until she had become the supervisor of the entire office. Before any major project she checked and double checked everything. She even went to so far as to seek feedback from those who opposed her view. She thought she had sufficiently prepared for everything, but on Wednesday, November 8, 2000, Teresa LaPorte's world fell in. Miss LaPorte is the election supervisor for Palm Beach County in Florida. A ballot she had designed for the presidential election was being called into question as to its legality. She thought she had done everything correct. She had even presented the ballot to both political parties for their approval. Now, she was in the national spotlight giving a defense for her decisions and actions. You know the rest of the story.

Just about every Christian will eventually come to a point in life where he or she must give a defense for why they believe and do the things they do. They may live most of their Christian life and then one day it will happen. Someone, who is dear to them, will ask a question and sense of shame overwhelms him or her...he or she is unable to give an answer. The apostle Peter wrote, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;" (1 Peter 3:15 NKJV).

It is only through diligent study that we can avoid the embarrassment of ignorance and be able to give a defense for what we believe. Paul wrote to the young preacher Timothy, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). Let us be people of the Book.