Being a Christian, a lot of people want to see us fail. Society is waiting for us to mess up, so that they can gossip about how the person that claims to love God failed Him. The world sometimes seems to work against those that are trying to live for God. People are more interested in tearing people down to make themselves look better, than to encourage each other in their walk of faith.
Living for God in a world of hate can be hard enough without extra, ridiculous standards. As a preacher's daughter, an extra burden is placed on me because a lot of people expect me to be perfect. This can be a good and bad thing. Good, because it pushes me to do better, but bad because I can't hold these standards, and I shouldn't be living right because of society, but because of God. If I put a large emphasis on pleasing the world, I'll forget about pleasing God along the way. We as Christians are all the same. We have an individual relationship with God, and no one else is involved, even if you are the child of a preacher or other higher positioned person. Being a preacher's daughter comes with a lot of blessings, and unfortunately, it comes with a lot of heartbreak as well.
My dad was called to preach when I was a baby, so I've never really known a time when he wasn't a preacher. Growing up, I always saw that my dad was looked up to, and so many people praised him for doing God's work. Though, as I grew up, I saw the awful things that my dad had to go through because he was a preacher. When he was first called to preach, we were at a church where his family went. The church began transitioning their beliefs, and my dad stood up for what he believed in. Throughout all of this, his family and the rest of the church went against him. This started the beginning of the strife between the family. He was saw as an outcast because God had called him to preach, even in his own family. Many people would be nice to his face, but as soon as they walked away, it was a whole different story. Not that everyone was like this, but some started looking at him differently, and they didn't want to be around him because they felt they were being judged. The thing is, preachers aren't the ones that people have to worry about, it's God. He sees so much more than a preacher can, and He has the ability to judge a person for their wrong doings. My dad wouldn't trade being a preacher for the world, but I wish the world would see He's trying to do God's work, not be above anyone.
The misconception that people have of a preacher's family seems crazy to me. So many people think they sit around all the time reading their Bible, praying, singing, etc. When in reality, they are just like any other Christian family. Yes, we pray. Yes, we read our Bible. But isn't that what all Christian families are supposed to do? I couldn't count on my fingers and toes the amount of times I've heard the statement, "Well, that explains why you're like that" when I tell someone my dad is a preacher. Just because my dad is a preacher, it doesn't influence my relationship with God. If I choose to live for God, that's my choice, and if I choose to live sinfully, that's also my choice. When God saved me, my dad didn't help get me saved. That was only between God and I, and our relationship is only between us as well.
Due to the influence that society has played, I hate to admit that I've been ashamed of my dad being a preacher many of times. The fear of what people will say, think, or form their opinion of me terrifies me sometimes. I'm proud of what my dad has done for the Lord, but I would also like to have my own testimony. I've been really working on forming this testimony, while also being able to show the world how proud I am of my family. I think the most important thing to remember is that we form our own relationship with God. No one can help us, and no one can hurt us. Wherever God calls us, we need to go, and He will take care of us. "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" (Psalms 118:6)
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