Firstfruits (Part 1)

High school can be an enduring stretch of life—sometimes a long, lonely road; other times a highway full of potholes. We’re figuring out our direction, our enjoyments and dislikes. Habits—good or bad—start to form. Lessons are learned, and mistakes are made.

I had a blast in high school (oh, the tomfoolery!), but I also carry a short list of regrets. At the top are the people I mistreated with harsh words and glares. One of them was my girlfriend.

Ah, young love. The soft yet vulnerable heart drifting into uncharted waters without a compass. We held hands, promised undying loyalty, went on dates—the whole teenage‑romance package. And it was all fun and games…until the breakup.

The arguments exploded. We spewed our venom, and before long people were choosing sides. We both claimed to be Christians, yet we were dividing the school because of our drama.

Thankfully, Summer exists—a reset button for students. When the new school year began, the tension faded as I truly sought Christ for the first time. Eventually, I approached her and apologized. We talked a few times after that, and we graduated as friends.

There is a lot more to being a Christian than simply asking Jesus into our lives. Scripture calls us to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38). To forgive others as the Lord has forgiven us (Colossians 3:13). To seek forgiveness when we’ve wronged someone (Matthew 5:23–24). To put on the Lord Jesus Christ—to stay clothed in righteousness (Romans 13:14).

Ultimately, we are called to learn to do good, seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow (Isaiah 1:17). People will know we are children of God by our fruits—our deeds, our character, and our way of living (Matthew 7:16-12). God can even restore our broken lives (Joel 2:12-27), and in LOTKR, there is one character who completes this arc.

“Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

James 1:18