“I believe in God” is a phrase I hear frequently. But even Satan, the devil, believes in God. You can believe in God and not be a practitioner of the Christian faith. You can believe He’s real and not have anything else to do with Him. You may not believe in anything supernatural or religious at all. 

Being a Christian in today’s world can be challenging. Trends that happen nowadays become popular so quickly because of the increasing amount of people on social media. One example of a trend is wearing chains and specifically, cross necklaces. 

The fact that cross necklaces are so popular and considered “cool” to wear is interesting because some of the people I know who wear them are not Christians. What is the draw if you aren’t a Christian? A Christian isn’t simply a person who believes in God. I feel as if most people don’t necessarily know the meaning behind the cross and what it actually stands for. They may simply wear it for fashion or they have a different reason for wearing it. This is an example of possible belief rather than practice. The cross necklace trend seems like it is popular but without proper knowledge or context backing it up.

Christians believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross to cover the sins of everyone on Earth. The punishment for sin is death, but Jesus paid that debt for us by sacrificing himself. He was human and went through the same pain we do, but he did it willingly for us because he loves us. That’s what the cross is to me. It represents the unfathomable love of a savior. Is the cross a symbol of what God has done for you? Is it a symbol of God’s extravagant love? Does the cross remind you of God’s love for you and what he has done for you, or is it just a piece of jewelry?

For me, I simply wonder why people choose to wear crosses. What made you decide to wear it? Does it have meaning to you other than the fact that it is a significant religious symbol? My intent is not to judge, but to simply point out what I see as a Christian and to ask questions. 

I find it important to attend church. My dad is the pastor of our church and we go every week. I also help lead worship with my mom on the worship band. Church is where I get to see and be with fellow Christians and grow my relationships with people, learn about God, the Bible and what the cross means. Fellowship is a big part of church and being a Christian. We are all there to support each other and lift each other up. Without church, it would be a very different country— especially because church was built into the Bill of Rights by our Founding Fathers. 

The point of church for me is to learn more about God and grow in my understanding of the Bible. Not everyone believes this is right or that God is even real, but I do and I am grateful to be able to share my opinion.