by Brett Martin
I gave my heart and life to Jesus on a university campus 33 years ago. From the start, it was all or nothing. Has my journey been perfect? No! But when I asked Jesus to be not only Savior but also Lord, I surrendered control. That surrender has been the ongoing lesson of my life—trusting that He is in control and that His plans are always for my good.
That surrender has shown up in many ways—my calling into ministry, my decision to remain single while God brought deep inner healing, my dependence on His provision instead of outward security, and my choice to trust His wisdom when it went against everything that seemed logical.
But giving Jesus everything also meant counting the cost. Was I willing to hand Him not just the easy parts of my life, but the broken and hidden parts too? My shame, my fears, even my sexuality? Jesus doesn’t stop at outward behavior. He goes straight to the heart. His words in Matthew 5:28 make it clear: lust is already adultery in the heart. So when I gave Him my life, I placed even that area under His authority. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
And the heart is still what matters most today. We live in a world marked by anger, division, and hate—the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. I saw this so clearly in the response to the recent death of Charlie Kirk. Regardless of politics, it is wrong to celebrate the death of someone simply exercising his right to speak. Jesus warns us in Matthew 5:21 that murder begins not with the act, but with the anger harbored in our hearts.
When people rejoice in the death of another, it reveals a sickness of the soul—a desperate need for healing and forgiveness. And that’s exactly what Jesus offers. On the cross He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” That forgiveness is the anchor we need in a world full of vitriol and bitterness.
As followers of Jesus, we are not defined by this world’s political systems. This world is not our home. Our calling is higher—to be about our Father’s business, to shine as salt and light, and to carry His love into the darkness.