1In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word, 2seeing your pure behavior in fear. 3Let your beauty come not from the outward adorning of braiding your hair, and of wearing gold ornaments or of putting on fine clothing, 4but from the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight. 5For this is how in the past the holy women who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands. 6So Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are if you do well and are not put in fear by any terror.
7You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman as to the weaker vessel, as also being joint heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
8Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, 9not rendering evil for evil or insult for insult; but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10For,
“He who would love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit.
11Let him turn away from evil and do good.
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears open to their prayer;
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13Now who will harm you if you become imitators of that which is good? 14But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.” 15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear, 16having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ. 17For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing what is right than for doing evil. 18Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, 19in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20who before were disobedient when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
Lion or Lamb?
The Lion and the Lamb Resting
Most of us walk around like lambs. We don’t say much about our faith in Christ, and when we do, we don’t say it too loudly. The passage tells us that it was the boldness of Peter and John that made the listening crowd marvel. It was their bold testimony that caused the listeners to know that “they had been with Jesus”. A lion is often used to symbolize boldness. There are certainly times in which we should be a lamb, but there are also times that we should be a lion. The Holy Spirit is He who will direct which we should be in a given moment.
The Holy Spirit will empower you to move from being a lamb to being a lion when He deems it necessary. You don’t have to muster up boldness. Let Him embolden you to speak clearly, loudly, and truthfully about the hope that is within you. Peter himself tells us, “15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,” (1 Peter 3:15)
We should also remember that we’re not always called to be a lion. The fleshly lion in us can take over when that is not God’s will at all. That can lead to unnecessary offense or conflict. You and I are not God’s policemen sent to stop every fleshly expression we might observe. Sometimes we’re to be a lamb. So how can we know the difference? That’s the direction of the Holy Spirit who lives within you, desiring to guide you each step in your walk with Jesus. Trust Him to do so. Then trust Him to empower you to be whichever you're supposed to be in that moment! We get into trouble when we’re always a lamb, or whenever we’re always a lion. Jesus Himself came the first time as the Lamb sent to take away the sins of the world. That was His role. That was the will of the Father. But there is coming a day, when He will come as a Lion to bring justice and set all things right. We too must sometimes be a lamb, but also we must be a lion when God prompts us so.