Baptism By Fire

Last night, I had an interesting discussion with one of my family members where I informed this individual that we are to be different. As Christians, we are to be set apart and do more but in doing more, we are to be different for Christ. Rather than being about self or living for self, we are to strive to do our best for others: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

In this conversation, I told her instead of talking about other people, we should pray for them and I get it, this is very difficult at times because people are not always easy to like let alone love. Sometimes, especially the people that we love, people are just hard to be around but this is the same for us towards Christ but He never hesitated or thought twice about loving us. Of course, none of us can match up with Christ which is obvious but we are to take on His legacy the best way we can: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,” (Galatians 5:22).

Since joining the ministry, I have been baptized by fire in the sense of learning just how difficult my advice can be. Yes, it’s so much better to pray for people rather than talking about them but it’s so much easier to talk about them instead of praying for them but the easy thing is not always the best thing and scripture is clear on this for we want to do good but do not always do the good because of the sin that is in us: “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me” (Romasn 7:19-20).

Paul teaches us that just because we can do something does not mean that we should: “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Something else that I have learned since joining the ministry is God will hold us up the standards that we claim and this happened to me yesterday as I was preparing myself to vote but there was something a bit bigger than voting.

As I get in line, I am wearing a red hat that reads “Make America Godly Again” so as I go through line to sign my document stating I am me, one of the women working the polling place informs me that I must take off my hat. A bit surprised, I tell this woman that it’s not a Trump hat but a God hat. She told me I still had to take it off and every part of me truly wants to make a scene but I did not say anything but this was tough because I truly felt singled out. God knows I wanted to put to the gentleman in front of me because he had a red hat on and ask “what about him?” but instead, I did as I was instructed but I also wanted to say “God doesn’t have a political party but he does not support any of those on the other side”.

While this may not seem like a serious issue to most people, anyone who knows me knows that I take my relationship with Christ seriously but I am also a deep thinker when it comes to politics. With that said, whatever political beliefs I hold are based on the Bible and what God says which is why I cannot support any candidate who says they are for the Bible but do anything and everything that the Bible says is wrong. This is an important lesson that I have truly grown in since joining the ministry and when this woman told me to take off my hat because she thought it was a political hat, I had to bite my tongue because this was a serious issue for me but with that said, I did as I was instructed, got through line, and voted for President Trump with this message from Christ in my heart: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).