“Excessively refined” indicates that one has moved beyond what is considered cultured in the simplest meaning of the term. I would say that being a Christian means peeling back the detritus that lies within the current self, to expose a more accurate and polished version of what we have become. To be “born again” means that we must become a new being, baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. Once we ask Jesus Christ into our lives, the Comforter is there, and we are made clean again. This dedication is not only a symbol, but the reality of what Christianity represents: become a new and refined creature through an acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Being “excessively refined” requires much dedication and prayer, which is what God asks of us. We must dedicate our lives to Him, and work to polish off that which is holding us back. When one becomes a Christian, he or she is feels convicted of the sins they commit, and because of this, seeks to repent and make real life changes. This means that all of the fornication, drunkenness and other sinful acts must cease. Not to say that this is an easy feat, but God is there to be our strength in those rough moments. He asks that we seek Him when we are lost and feel most vulnerable. In this manner, as we seek and change and improve, we are refining each bit of our lives, inside and outside.
Unconventional. Quaintly. I was never one for convention. If anything, I was so out of the ordinary that my friends labeled me “weird” or “nerd” or some other partly accurate terms that I have since forgotten. I have always known that I was unlike anyone else, and that most of my interests lay outside the boundaries of my family and friends. The only people I know that closely resemble who I am, interests and all, are my brother and father. Even though I never really lived with them growing up, as a man I have come to understand that we are alike in so many ways. We all have a love of hip-hop music, even as their choice is gospel rap. I listen to that as well, but my interests are a bit broader. We love comic books, cartoons and sports. We share the ability to draw as well, although my ability may be a bit more refined than theirs. In any event, I have never followed the crowd. I have always blazed my own trail, and followed my own heart. In college, I even studied with people from the 5 Percent Nation, a group that believes the Black man is the maker and owner of the Earth, gods in their own right. I was always searching for truth, for something deeper, but not until I reaffirmed my relationship with Christ, was I undeniably released from the chains of doubt and regret. The “quaintly unconventional” moments in my life lead me to the place where I am today, writing these words as a testament to those who are doubtful and hopeless.
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