It?s taken me a while to think and process through all of this to discover what it means to be a Christian resident advisor. I knew that being a Christian in this environment I was called to be different and it been a challenge. There have been a number of challenges, and I by no means have found solutions, but will work out where I?m at.
First are the priorities, as an employee of Res-Life they ask and expect that your priorities work in the order of School, Work, Personal Life, Whatever else. Here is a major conflict as a Christian, ?Seek first His kingdom? (Matthew 6:33), and it has caused some tension already. While my priorities are similar to theirs, mine tend to be arranged as Ministry (incld: Relationship with Christ), School, Work, Personal Life. They have been accommodating thus far but I pray our conflict of interests not come to a head in the next couple weeks.
Second has to do with being on duty and needing to keep an eye out for inappropriate behavior. I will be honest, I can?t tell when someone is drunk or on drugs. I used to try but it isn?t worth my efforts to see them that way, only that I could try to look past it. The Lord has blessed me in not being able to tell, in letting my eyes see past those things. That I am not distracted by such things and instead striving to see them as pure, ?To the pure all things are pure. To the corrupt nothing is pure, for their mind and consciousness are corrupted.? (Titus 1:15). Now one might say, Paul you aren?t pure, you sin just like the rest of us. I would point them to Philippians 2:14-16 that says ?Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out[a] the word of life?in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.?
So that I may become blameless? as Paul reassured those at Corinth that Christ would give them strength ?so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ? (1 Cor 1:8) and Peter wrote ?So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him? (2 Pete 3:14). The key here is that it requires work. You don?t need strength to be like everyone else, you don?t need to put effort forth to do what you?ve already done. It takes strength and effort to change and let Christ change you. Faith (trust in God) takes a lot of effort and strength. So, since my first priority is the Ministry Christ has given me and my relationship with Him seeking to be blameless and striving to get as close to righteousness is more important than learning to tell if someone is abusing their body.
I will share the gospel on my floor if the Lord presents the opportunity. I will be bold in ways that whispers tell me will cost me my job. For to live like Christ to die is gain. I?ve never been more sure of anything in my life than I am that Christ is the only savior of this world and to not proclaim his word is to watch the world die around me doing nothing. There is more, but I don?t feel like writing it all out now.
Praying that I may loose myself further,
~paul