As an Indigenous person who's also a follower of the Jesus Way, I have found people who always have reasons for not wanting this way of living for themselves. Some also have an interest to some degree but have had an experience of some kind that has hindered them from exploring this way of living further. And then some people have no interest at all in following Jesus.
I reflect on my own life journey. I was raised in a non-Indigenous family going to church at least two days a week and being there for at least a couple of hours each time. Then, as I met my biological family, I soon found out that most of my family of origin had resistance to the church and to Christianity. Even as I hung out with my neighborhood friends, none of those friends or their families had an involvement in church culture like I did.
We all have gone through times when we rejected God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to be involved in our lives. Most of us have faced times when we have hesitated to accept the forgiveness of our sins. Even if we haven't fully rejected Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and His teachings in the holy written scriptures, most of us can relate to going through periods of rebellion to our Creator.
First Peter 3:15–16 says, "And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ."
For me, all of life's hurts can be healed through taking a closer look at what the holy scriptures say.
Many people have received mixed messages about Jesus and the gospel stories. Too many of them see the leaders of the church and workers in the church using their authority to extend abuse and be unkind. These people sometimes are very disrespectful towards them and their way of life. Some of them also see the Catholic church and the Protestant church as the same. Even though there are many differences, both of them get lumped together as one. They see all of these as the "church."
As an Indigenous person, I know about all the historical baggage that has taken place here in North America. I know that some of my fellow Indigenous people have no interest in the church because of residential schools and other stained periods of our history. That's why I love this passage in 1 Peter 3 because it reminds me that I don't need to get into arguments about why someone should believe in Jesus. I don't need to try to force someone to become a child of God through believing that Jesus died on the cross and rose again three days later.
What I do need to do is learn to be gentle and respectful as stated in 1 Peter. I live my life the best I can, knowing that people are watching me. How do I live as someone who claims to be follower of the Jesus way? As people see the way I live and ask about what I believe in, I can then explain what Jesus has done for me and what the holy scriptures mean to me. I can then explain how I've separated what the church did in the past and the real meaning of the Gospels.
Many people may never accept the Jesus way as something they want for their lives. I could get an award for being a model citizen and receive an award for being father and husband of the year. But that still wouldn't change their minds about wanting Jesus for their life, too. It may not make them see that Jesus can bring fulfillment and eternal security for them.
The passage in 1 Peter 3 also says that if people speak against you, you won't have to defend yourself. Your life will speak volumes and that will be your defense. Your gentleness and respectfulness can bring healing to your own life and the ones that are watching you. Your gentleness and respectfulness can bring healing to your heart. Your gentleness and respectfulness can win more arguments than any sort of spiritual violence that has taken place in the past.
Remember to live in that gentleness and respectfulness this month.
Parry Stelter is originally from Alexander First Nation, which is part of Treaty Six Territory. He's a Sixties Scoop Survivor. He's an author, speaker, scholar, workshop facilitator, blanket exercise facilitator, pastor, chaplain, and ambassador of the gospel and ambassador of his fellow Indigenous people. Visit his website at http://www.wordofhopeministries.ca.
