Many would say that we live in difficult times. Our lives are complicated by natural disasters, the threat of terrorism, political turmoil and economic distress. But is the twenty-first century really all that unique?

In the first century the Apostle Peter wrote instructions to the followers of Jesus to teach them how to live as Christians in difficult times – times that included tyrannical rulers and widespread acceptance of slavery. Peter explained that all Christian citizens should submit to government authority and all Christian slaves should submit to their masters. Peter was convinced that, with God’s help, submission was a powerful tool to transform the lives and behavior of others. He was not promoting passive submission but an active submission that does good – somewhat similar to the nonviolent approach of Gandhi in India and Martin Luther King, Jr. in America.

Peter goes on to tell Christian wives that the same kind of submissive behavior that transforms governments and work places can transform homes and marriages. He says that husbands who do not believe the word of God may be persuaded to believe without a spoken word – just by the behavior of their Christian wives.

This shows an enormous faith in the power of Christian behavior. It assumes that simply by acting Christianly, God can use our lives to persuade unbelievers to become Christians. The principle is bigger than wives, husbands and marriages. How we live can and will transform the lives of other people – for Godly behavior changes others.