Question: Marge voted for the “other” candidate for president, and she got her feelings hurt when she told it at church. Now it’s time to elect a governor, and Marge will probably vote opposite most of the church members. Should I tell her to keep it to herself?
Answer: Every believer should exercise his or her right to choose the candidate that best agrees with their value system, and then vote their conscience. But don’t forget that we enter a private voting booth to mark our ballot because it’s no one else’s business why you voted for a particular person.
Rather than allowing it to become a point of contention, you could (in a private conversation) thank Marge for exercising her right to vote, but ask her to keep her decision to herself to avoid unnecessary conflict.
Question: Mrs. Frink runs our church kitchen. I’ve seen her reuse the foil off baked potatoes and wash plastic forks and put them back in the drawer. I’m not sure I can remove her without causing a ruckus, but I’m getting sick to my stomach.
Answer: Just as every church needs to do a background check on anyone working in the nursery in order to protect the church from a lawsuit, so too it is wise for those who serve in the kitchen to have food service certification. It’s also a great idea to ask the community health inspector to walk through your kitchen area.
(Don’t panic, because you are already operating a kitchen, almost everything will be grandfathered in.)
Let the health inspector inform Mrs. Frink of healthy food service requirements, practices, and training that’s available. She’ll either choose to learn or ask to be removed, and your stomach will feel much better!
Pat Pajak is IBSA’s associate executive director for evangelism. Send questions for Pat to IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.