Excellent Behavior (1 Peter 2:11-12)

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
(1 Peter 2:11-12, NASB)

I’ve been listening to podcasts of sermons by Andy Stanley. And he’s been speaking of how the church of Christ should be an excellent example to the world.

And so we should be. We should be so generous to help the “least of these” that the world takes notice (Matt. 25:31-46). We should live honestly and morally. We should show love to all people, neighbors and enemies alike (Mark 12:31; Matt. 5:44). We should speak only those things that are good and true and pure (Phil. 4:8).

Even if someone isn't sure about the whole Christianity thing, they should be impressed or inspired or intrigued by our actions.

They shouldn’t, as they often do, think that we’re hypocrites. That we say one thing (like loving neighbors and enemies) and do the opposite (like hating a particular group because of their race). Or condemning a particular group because of their lifestyle.

We really need to be looking at the logs in our own eyes instead of the specks in the eyes of others (Matt: 7:4-5). We really do need to look out for the needs of others. I’ve heard Andy say this before: If all of us who call themselves Christ-followers gave just the ten percent that’s mentioned in the Bible, we could wipe out world hunger and many diseases. (See Gen. 14:19-20; Heb. 7:2-6.) And if we gave generously from our abundant blessings, we could wipe out poverty.

Instead, we hoard what we have. We buy McMansions and the latest automobile. We upgrade our electronics even though what we already have works well. We throw tons of food away. And we totally freak out when the stock market tanks.

I’m as guilty as the next guy … And I’m feeling particularly convicted.

What do I do—what do you do—that looks “excellent” to unbelievers? What do I do—what do you do—that makes unbelievers wonder: What is different about her—in a very good way?