Code Smashers

I.

"Ms. Trudeau! You think you are smarter than God, huh?? Both the office and hell is open for you, you are insatiable, a spawn of Satan!"

This were the words a teacher muttered before leaving the room.

This Ms. Trudeau we're talking about just asked harmless questions: just earlier the teacher declared providences and... What do they call it, 'prosperity gospel'?

If you don't realize the context: the next minute, we were talking about a missionary of the day. Let's be honest: I cringed too, reading about Mr. Taylor Hudson's story. A Christian high school is sometimes abrupt, I know.

"If God is really a person who wants to prosper people, and since everyone has a purpose in life as you said, shouldn't He have given people equal resources to meet their purposes quickly?"

Was all Setta said, before our teacher blew a fuse, cursing her out before walking out the room.

If I hadn't introduced myself, I am Monica Trotavelli. Yes, you could see my name in the honor's list twice this year now.

I joined this high school because my mom loves God. I could see why: we miraculously have a roof above us, food to eat thrice a day, all while my mom is struggling to make ends meet. By the grace of God, I obtained a scholarship because He hadn't let me fail a subject. I could easily understand the lessons.

I know everyone in this class had some questions growing up, but in a religion... Or rather, a conservative high school at least, I think, people were really discouraged to ask questions Christians might not be able to answer logically.

And Setta has done that, thrice in a row this week. Some of my classmates were either amused or pissed by her distracting the momentum of sharing the gospel.

I love a challenge. I want to be friends with her. Maybe try to answer some of her questions.

I hope she gets to know Jesus closely, and I would love to minister to her about it.

...

Setta sat alone in lunch.

I saw her stare at that Jeremiah 29:11 in that LED display, chuckled at herself, and continued munching on that broccoli from the cafeteria.

I sat beside her.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11."

"Nica," Setta turned around and chuckled a bit, "God said that to a nation enslaved by their enemy nation. They were promised they will go to the promise land, but they had to wait 70 years before moving in there. Some might have still died as slaves."

"You do realize the Bible is actually a compilation of stories of actual people struggling with their lives, and God meeting them there in the middle of chaos, right?"

She stared at me.

""Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" Was what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 verses 25-26. We were not given a storm-free life, but a storm-proof life. While we wait for such a long time, God still provided them everything they needed. That Jeremiah verse indeed promises it's going to be a rough life out there, because what can we do, the world was cursed because of sin. Okay, assuming people in that time died as slaves. The only thing He promised us is that God will be there with them, regardless of their situation. If they died as slaves, they still had God. Just God being there, His presence alone would be enough to have lived a purpose-driven life."

She chuckled," What does this God have, and who does He think He is? He seemed really special in this book this school is based with."

Oh, you would be surprised.

"Setta, why won't we make a team, you'll ask questions and I'll do my best to answer it, maybe even fact-check the Bible for each other? I'll make you the leader."

"Nica, I don't read the Bible that much. I can't fact-check that much for you."

"You literally just deciphered the context of Jeremiah 29:11. I have set you up!" I grinned.

She sighed in surrender and raised her hands up. "Okay. What should we name it?"

"Your questions got to break some school laws. You can decode Bible messages. Maybe, Code Smashers?"

"Isn't that a bit too abrupt of a name?" Setta raised an eyebrow.

"Your friend here is not a good pun maker." I laughed as I pointed to myself. She laughed too.

"We need, like 3 more members though."

"Oh, God will provide, Setta."

"Is He really going to do that for us? Him doing it for me feels like a struggle."

"If you could hear my life story, you would have believed by now. Give it 3 days." I patted her shoulder and stood up, as the first bell has started to ring. "Let's get moving!"