Advanced Placement

You know those advanced placement (AP) classes we took (or not). But we were told that we were the "cream of the crop" (whatever that means), made to feel that somehow, because we took these classes, we were more advanced than the rest of humanity. So you better feel special as a part of this group, and I did. Finally, a bunch of smart, thinking, high quality people that I get the privilege of talking with, spending time with, rubbing shoulders with, talk about high places, man, I could safely say I idolized the "privilege", so much so that I reconsidered how public I was with my faith [call it wisdom]. You know what I'm talking about; when those smart cookies start reveling in their ignorance about God, or plain dishonoring Him, I would keep quiet, shy away from giving my honest opinions, cos, oh my gosh, these elite people might think...

In my effort to respect my "intelligent" friends, I disrespected the maker of intelligence, the maker of these microintelligents I was becoming enslaved to, of everything intelligent, of the manner by which we could deem anything intelligent, the maker of the intellect... you get what I am saying. Romans 1:23.

Now, I look back at the AP scenario and I'm like "really? So that was what was all that?" But we all have an AP circle, or even multiple in different ways. Even if you've never taken a class in your life; we have people for whom we would bend over backwards to please, compromise ourselves, deny the most important things about ourselves, should it even hint at displeasing them; they have an advanced placement in our hearts; you know, cream of the crop kind of level. You could be yourself, share your faith, dare to make mistakes, take risks and be embarrassed, but only outside this circle, cos who cares what the rest think? In essence, your AP circle consists of your slave masters. As my foolishness is gradually being washed away, I am seeing that my Advanced Placement circle should have room for only God. "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10