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“Rachael and Patty…… you two are being called down to the Principle’s office….. something to do with your after school club,” Mr. Hanson announced as soon as the the girls entered the classroom.
“I bet there’s been complaints against us,” Patty whispered in Rachael’s ear, as they turned around to leave.
“Righteous,” Rachael replied sarcastically under her breath.
“Hi girls. Thanks for coming down so quickly! Have a seat,” Principal Bellows said politely.
But the girls just stood there. They could tell rationality would not prevail.
“I’m sorry to tell you this, but there have been several complaints about your after school club. Some of the students have been coming in to tell me that it’s not inclusive for everyone, and that is unacceptable. What do you have to say for yourselves?”
“Well, that is just plain silly! The only requirement for becoming a member of our club is accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior,” Patty replied.
“Well, I gotta tell ya, it’s not the only complaint they have. They say it’s discriminatory against all groups, even racially.
“WHAT? How can you say that? ‘The God Club’ has absolutely nothing to do with race……or what would I be doing in the club?” Rachael retorted, as she pointed to herself.
“Okay, yeah……I see your point. Apparently, they don’t know that Rachael is a member. But, we do have a great number of transgender students and I know they’re offended by what your club advocates,” he explained.
“Listen, we only have ten members thus far, and we’re content with that. They don’t have to join if they’re not interested. I see no need to give us a hard time because we enjoy meeting after school to chat about the LORD! It has nothing to do with them, so why are they acting like they want in, when clearly they don’t?!” Patty replied, as she struggled to hold back a scream.
“Okay! I get it. But what would you have me do?”
“How bout defend us?” They both responded, with a sarcastic tone they knew could get them into deeper trouble.
“Okay, you girls are obviously not understanding me here…”
“Oh, we understand alright,” Rachael replied, as both girls headed for the door. “Obviously these kids are only interested in starting trouble for us because they’re the ones who are harboring prejudices!” She continued in her hot, yet righteous displeasure.
The girls stormed out and went outside for a breath of fresh air. “I just need a minute!” Patty exclaimed, as she breathed heavily; pacing around, while Principal Bellows just stared out of his window wondering what to do next.
“This is infuriating,” Rachael added. “They’re just trying to intimidate us!” She continued.
“I’ve been hearing a lot about this kind of soft persecution against Christians lately,” Patty added.
“Yeah. It’s happening all over…….Well, how do you think we should handle this?" Rachael inquired.
“Let’s pray about it tonight and tomorrow we’ll talk about what we should do,” Patty replied.
“Well, I know one thing. I’m not giving up this club; more kids could get saved!”
“Yeah, but there are also plenty of kids who want nothing to do with the Lord in this school…… but we can’t let them win now can we?”
“RIGHT!” They both agreed, with a hopeful smile; squeezing one another's hands tearfully.
The girls went back to class, but neither of them could concentrate on the history lesson.
That night Patty prayed that God would encourage and strengthen them to bravely continue with His plan for ‘The God Club.’
“Oh Lord, I know that the kids in our club are enjoying the fellowship and the learning. Sometimes one of them comes to me to express how grateful they are……that they wouldn’t be saved if it had not been for our club. Please Lord, help us continue doing Your work,” Patty prayed.
And Rachael similarly prayed in this way.
The next day was a perfect one for getting together to talk, being a Saturday, so Rachael went to Patty’s house.
“Hi Mrs. Simmons. Thanks for having me over,” Rachael said, with a grin.
“No problem. You girls let me know if I can be of any help,” Patty’s mother replied.
“Well, actually if you’re not busy, I’d like you to sit with us and talk,” Rachael remarked.
Patty nodded and smiled at her mom.
“Sure, okay……let me just go into the kitchen. I’ll make us something to eat,” she replied.
“Okay, I’m so glad you could come over Rach,” said Patty, as they sat down in the dining room and Patty’s mom brought some sandwiches from the kitchen.
“So our school is having a fit over ‘The God Club’ and we don’t know what to do,” she continued. “What do you think Mom?”
“Well, you have to fight for what’s right, while at the same time keeping your cool. Even though it’s righteous anger you’re feeling, you still have to keep it under control,” she replied.
“Yeah, that’s what we think too,” Patty replied; looking into Rachael’s eyes.
“Of course,” she replied, with a big nod of her head.
“So just continue meeting like you always do. Basically just decide to ignore their complaints. And anyone who approaches you to complain to your face…….just tell them that they could be saved too if they would just try joining in instead of fighting…..something like that…..” Patty’s mother added.
“I know I shouldn’t worry, but I’m having trouble this time! I don’t want anything to keep our club from meeting. There are kids who depend on it!” Rachael remarked.
“I know it’s very sad, but that’s the world we’re living in,” Patty replied.
The three talked for two hours.
“Ya know, now that I think of it, we didn’t really need to figure anything out, we just needed each other!” Patty exclaimed, as she waved goodbye to Rachael.
Then Monday morning, as the students rushed into the building to hurry to classes, Patty detected something suspicious. “Hey, she whispered to Rachael, did you see that? A kid just came out of our meeting room…..he was looking all around like he had something to hide, or just did something wrong. We’d better check it out!”
So the two went as quickly as they could to the room. “The door is never locked, but who would have thought we’d have the need?” Patty exclaimed, as she nervously turned the doorknob.
“Oh no!” Both girls screeched, as soon as they walked in.
“All of our posters are torn down! All our notes are torn, and tossed about! Our club has been vandalized!” Patty declared in horror.
“Come on, let’s get down to the Principal's office right now!” Rachael insisted.
“Mr. Bellows, our room has just been vandalized! And we saw a kid coming out just prior to checking it and finding it in a shambles!” Patty explained.
“Well, I’m sorry. Do you know what student?....Boy or girl, or……”
“It was a boy. He’s thin, very fair, light brown hair, wears a hat all the time, like I mean he never takes it off. And, he’s very quiet, and doesn’t have many friends,” Rachael told him.
“But you don’t know his name?”
“No, but we’ll sure try and find out!” Patty replied. “And I hope you’ll do the same Mr. Bellows,” she continued.
“I’ll try, but I can’t make you any promises,” he replied.
“Boy, I don’t know Patty…..Does it seem like he’s on our side…..or not?”
“NOT,” Patty replied.
This same sort of harassment continued for several months, until the girls were out of ideas.
Then one day, Mr. Bellows called them into his office.
“Girls, l hate to have to tell you this, but I’m gonna have to cancel your club. It’s not working out; we can’t have this destruction and violence.”
The girls just leered at Mr. Bellows and walked out of the office.
“I think we can still have a meeting place……Anyone who wants to come can still come, and I hope they will, but even if they don’t, we can still meet and we know my mother won’t mind….”
“You mean you want to meet at your place from now on?” Rachael interjected. “Will we have room for everyone?” She further inquired.
“YEAH! My house is huge, and my mom will love it. So why not?” Patty replied.
“WOW, that sounds great!” Rachael replied.
So the girls continued meeting with the club members, and even added eleven more members after only a few weeks, which was predominantly due to the increased interest generated by the controversy of the club.
“God is blessing us for not giving up! Patty declared during many of those meetings.
On one such occasion, Rachael stood up in front of the group:
“You know, there is only one way to Jesus, through faith in His Work on the Cross. But as believers we do not come in one size fits all, we are supposed to, but being flawed human beings, we don’t all see the things of God the way we ought to. There are believers that see everything in a legalistic way; just going through the motions, when it’s all about JESUS and what He DID FOR US! Those who are abiding in wrong motives try mainly to do things solely to be seen by others and try to impress God, which the Bible calls ‘works of the flesh.’ That’s all about the self…..But commitment is living for the LORD, and loving and helping others!”
Everyone clapped and cheered. Then Patty’s mom stood up. “I just want to say how proud I am of you kids. And Patty and Rachael, your courage and commitment to God really shows. You girls are an inspiration,” she proclaimed with a tear, as she went back to the smaller living room to sit on her couch and pray for God’s blessing and thank Him for His favor.
RELATED SCRIPTURE & NOTES FROM THE GOD CLUB
There is no way unto the Father except the Son. For Jesus is the Great “I AM.”
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
And He also said “I am” the Bread of Life in John 6:35, the Light of the World in John 8:12, the Door in John 10:9, the Good Shepherd in John 10:11,14, the Resurrection and the Life in Jon 11:25, the Vine in John 15:15….
In order to be saved we must believe in Jesus and what He did for us on the cross, even though we may suffer in so doing….
“And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,……” (1Peter 3:13-15a)
Following Jesus is all about the heart, for if your heart is committed, you will go the extra mile for the Lord and strive to finish your assignment from God; knowing how important it is to lead people to Jesus..
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” (1Peter 3:15)
“Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.” (Psalm 37:5-6)
“knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)
And to further show that it’s all about our heart’s condition:
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2Corinthians 9:7)
To say ‘not grudgingly’ when we give money also applies to our actions. To give grudgingly is to do so with the wrong intentions, not out of love, but the sense that everyone will judge me if I don’t, or what will my Pastor think well of me; anything like that which is clearly not from an unfeigned heart:
unfeigned
[ uhn-feynd ]SHOW IPA
See synonyms for unfeigned on Thesaurus.com
adjective
not feigned; sincere; genuine.
Also keep in mind that commitment in the Bible is most often referred to as circumcision of the heart:
“Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings.” (Jeremiah 4:4)
“but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” (Romans 2:29)
NKJV
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Linzy is a children's author, Christian writer, including Bible Prophecy reporting. Her portfolio includes, poetry and short stories for all ages.