On Monday’s podcast episode, Eli said something that stuck with me:
“You don’t have to fight everyone who challenges your faith. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is ask a question.”
If you’ve ever worried about being “that Christian kid” in class — the one who’s always defending God like you’re His lawyer — listen up: this might be the single most freeing thing for you before you head to college.
The Pressure Is Real
College is full of people with big brains, big opinions, and big personalities.
In one class you might have:
- A professor who’s openly trying to poke holes in Christianity
- A group of friends who assume faith is irrelevant
- A peer who challenges everything you say because they’ve watched too many debate videos on YouTube
It can be intimidating.
But intimidating doesn’t mean impossible.
Jesus Asked 300 Questions… and Answered Only 3.
Yeah. Read that again.
Eli dropped that stat, and we all had the same reaction: 👀
If Jesus didn’t stress about answering every challenge, maybe you don’t need to either.
Sometimes courage looks like:
- Asking for clarity: “Can you explain what you mean by that?”
- Staying calm: even when someone else gets heated
- Being curious, not defensive
- Showing love without watering down truth
- Admitting you don’t know
Humility is not weakness — it’s strength under control.
Love First. Truth Always.
Eli talked about how Christians often respond with either:
- Fight: arguing, defending, proving, snapping back
- Flight: shutting down, avoiding, ghosting, pretending you don’t care
But scripture calls us to respond differently:
Speak truth in love.
Truth without love feels harsh.
Love without truth feels hollow.
College desperately needs both.
A Practical Strategy for the Real World
Here’s how to respond the next time someone challenges your faith:
Step 1: Slow down.
You don’t have to react immediately.
Step 2: Ask questions.
It shows you value them as a person — not just as a debate partner.
Step 3: Share what you know.
Gently. Confidently. Without arrogance.
Step 4: Admit what you don’t know.
Humility builds credibility.
Step 5: Keep loving them.
Even if they don’t agree.
Even if they won’t ever agree.
The Goal Isn’t Winning Arguments.
It’s reflecting Jesus.
It’s building character.
It’s becoming people whose faith is genuine, not just memorized.
College will shape your courage more than you think.
Not by forcing you to shout louder…
but by teaching you how to stand firm, speak gently, and love boldly.
