“Rachael and Patty…… you two are being called down to the Principle’s office; something to do with your after school club,” Mrs. Hanson announced as soon as the last student entered the classroom.

“I bet there’s been complaints against us,” Patty whispered in Rachael’s ear, as they stood up to leave.

“Righteous,” Rachael replied sarcastically under her breath.

“Hi girls. Thanks for coming down so quickly! Have a seat,” Principle Bellows said politely, but the girls 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? We welcome all races. “The God Club” has absolutely nothing to do with race,” Rachael replied.

“Well, they aren’t talking color. We have a great number of transgender students that are 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; nearly screaming.

“Yes, I see your point. But what would you have me do?”

“How bout defend us?” They both retorted, 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 stood up. “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 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.

“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,” said Patty.

“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; so many kids are getting 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 they each prayed that God would encourage their strength 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,” Patty prayed.

And Rachael similarly prayed in this way.

The next day was thankfully the perfect chance; being a Saturday, for them to talk, 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,”

“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 all sat down in the dining room. “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,” 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 ignoring 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…..” she 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; 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, who would have thought we’d have the need!” Patty said, as she nervously turned the doorknob.

“Oh no!” Both girls screeched, as soon as they walked in.

“All of our posters are torn down! Disgusting things on the blackboard! All our notes are torn, and tossed about! They even threw the school’s computer on the floor! 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; very quiet, 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 still wants to come can still come, and I hope they will, but even if they don’t we can still meet and my mother will want to be included….”

“You mean you want to meet at your place from now on?” Rachael interjected.

“YEAH! Why not?” Patty replied.

“WOW, that sounds great!” Rachael replied.

So the girls continued meeting with the club members, and added fifteen to that number; twenty-five members in total, after only a few weeks of meetings!

“God is blessing us for not giving up! Patty declared during many of those meetings.

On one such occasion, Rachael told the group about an idea she had that came as a revelation. She 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. And there are those who love God and live to serve Him. Those who live to serve know what commitment is, but sadly those who think they can earn their way into heaven…..the legalistic believers, they are really just making everything about themselves, when it’s all about JESUS and what He DID FOR US! I just think it’s important to remember that it’s about the heart! Those who are abiding in wrong motives try mainly to do things solely to be seen by others, which the Bible calls ‘works of the flesh.’ That’s all about the self, but commitment or ‘circumcision’ is all about the cause, our divine motive; that which is so much bigger than ourselves!”

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 sat back down on her couch.

RELATED SCRIPTURES FOR FURTHER STUDY

“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)

Circumcision 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 that an important part of that for all of us is to lead people to Jesus, therefore, always be ready to counsel anyone who is lost whenever possible:

“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 my Pastor will think well of me if I do; anything like that which is clearly not from the unfeigned heart:

unfeigned

[ uhn-feynd ]SHOW IPA

See synonyms for unfeigned on Thesaurus.com

adjective

1. not feigned; sincere; genuine.

Moreover, 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 certified Bible Counsellor, with countless republications on her viewers blogs, Bible Studies, Ezines and the like. Her portfolio includes, non-fiction articles, short stories for all ages, and Christian poetry.