Regarding 1 Peter, how do I apply this to myself?:
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18 NIV).
Before I turned to Christ, I was an Eagle Scout and I was a Resident Advisor at Virginia Tech, along with achieving some other honors in my youth. And I had a reputation as a moral person. I remember talking with a friend once as we walked across the drill field at Virginia Tech. Expressing that I was one of the most moral people he knew, he expressed his perplexity as to why I did not go to church.
But before I was a follower of Jesus, I did some wrong things which hurt myself and others. I was not righteous.
I need to always be mindful that I have reason to be humble before God as someone who was unrighteous, and yet who was saved and made righteous in Christ by His sacrifice on the cross.
Regarding 1 Peter, how do I apply this to my community?:
Once I had a speaking engagement at a retirement community about my backpacking journey on the Appalachian Trail. This was in the midst of giving over thirty such talks in retirement communities in 2005. Since it was early on during my "thru-hike" that I gave my heart to Jesus, I always closed my talks by giving an illustration and then making the point that we all need love, and that Jesus offers love to us all. Then I would sing "Restore," by Sherri Youngward.
At that superb community, which is on 17th street near Miller, a large group attended, and the talk went well. After singing "Restore," which I always did with my eyes closed, I opened my eyes to see tears in the eyes of a gentleman who was sitting in the corner.
Hunter Irvine
