A Christian walks into a grocery store and picks a fight with everyone...

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See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. - Ephesians 5:15-16 (NKJV)

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We have a responsibility as Christians relating to how we walk in this world both internally and outwardly as commentaries on our key verses outline. Both speak to our witness for Christ. Inwardly, if we live a life contrary to what we preach or claim to believe then we are seen rightly as hypocrites. Our outward walk is how we interact with those who do not know Christ as their savior. Once again, will we be viewed as hypocrites raising our hands on Sundays and bringing down the hammer during the week upon the world? Will be seen as humble, forbearing, kind, understanding? Or will we be seen as myopic, cruel, arrogant and yes even stupid? It does not matter what the issue is either. Our witness for Christ must be first even if we feel right about the matter at hand. Such is the case with the disagreements in this country over the virus and the mitigation standards set out by science and our government. Many churches took their stands to disobey authority in violation of scripture, and reopen their churches to full capacity, masks or no masks. May other Christian leaders brag about such disobedience. Karen Hardin appears to be one of these. Hardin makes her living off the flock and is a writer at Charisma News where the above linked article can be found. Let us reason once more as Hardin leads us through a confrontation she created at her local store who insisted she needed to wear a mask.

"Freedom. We hear a lot about that from the left who say they supposedly fight for freedom.

But for who? All I see is a group working hard to take our constitutional freedoms and give them to people who are not citizens or to those who want to change our Constitution and steal the freedoms of the majority ... especially Christians. And they will continue unless we decide to say, "Enough!" This past week I went into a grocery story I commonly frequent. It is the only store where I still shop that requires a mask. However, more often than not, I go in without one.

Before anyone gets enraged over that statement, let me say I am in a state in which the mask mandate has been lifted. Also, all but two of the branches of the store where I have shopped, are in cities which also have no mask mandate. So, the obvious conclusion is that they are no longer required, right? Wrong." - Karen Hardin

So Hardin, who claims to be an intercessor, decided to not abide by the store's policy even though she knew full well what it was. That is not freedom. It is selfishness. It is petulance. It is a childlike behavior that would get most toddlers spanked. Unlike a toddler however, Hardin has responsibility beyond her feelings of being put upon. She has responsibilities for Christ and the Gospel. She has her witness and to so casually toss it aside for something as simple as wearing a mask reveals that she could care less about the cause of Jesus Christ. Now as you read her account of this interaction realize that she is proudly admitting this behavior. She is flaunting how indescribably arrogant she was in pursuit of her perception of personal freedom. Never mind that the store also has freedoms and Karen Hardin does not get to dictate to them what freedoms get to be upheld.

"I walked in last week to buy one item--a quick in and out trip. I walked in sans a mask and headed over to the item. Almost immediately a clerk walked up to me with a box of masks in her hand.

Clerk: "Do you have a mask?"

Me: "Yes, I do! Thank you," I said as I made my way over to the register.

As I waited at the register, still without a mask, I discovered that the clerk with the box was the person in charge of that register. She acted as if she was going to check me out, but rather than ringing up the item, she just stood there and looked at me. (Weird silence ensued. I smiled at her. She didn't smile back--at least I don't think so as she was masked.)" - Karen Hardin

So the store not only had a policy but was kind enough to provide their customers with a mask if they did not have one. The idiocy here is squarely on Hardin, who never explains why she refuses to wear a mask beyond this nebulous freedom nonsense. Perhaps the store's management lost someone close to them from the virus and wants to protect their workers and customers. Their motivation is irrelevant. They own the store and they get to decide. The way our system works, if Hardin does not like it she goes to a different store that allows her to potentially spread a lethal virus without seeming to have a care about it. Do not lose sight of what Hardin is revealing here. She is choosing to have this confrontation knowing full well it would come. She mockingly refused a mask be claiming she had one but was essentially refusing to put it on. Have you ever been told by a restaurant that you must wear a suit jacket? Or that you had to have a collar shirt? No shoes no service? Any of this ringing a bell? I might find it objectionable to force me into formal wear in order to eat but that is the choice the owner of the business gets to make. I do not get a say other than choosing to not eat there. Hardin now escalates the confrontation she created.

'Me: "I'm ready to check out please."

Clerk: "You don't have a mask on. We insist our customers wear masks," she continued.

Me: "My aunt went into a store earlier this year dutifully wearing her mask. She passed out due to the lack of oxygen and fractured her pelvis," I shared. "I don't think you want customers passing out," I finished.

She continued to just stare at me...Clerk: "I need to call a manager." (Manager appears and looks as if she has been eating a bowl of lemons.)

Manager: "You have to have a mask on for us to check you out."

Me: "You do know that our state is no longer under a mask mandate, right?" I asked politely.

Manager: (Not so politely and raising her voice.) "This is a private business! We can do what we want, and we insist that all of our customers wear masks or leave."' - Karen Hardin

No offense but I seriously doubt the anecdotal story. Even if true, that does not change anything. Hardin admits she was only there for a single item and would have been gone in minutes if not for this contrived argument. Likewise, the state mandate is irrelevant as individual businesses can still decide their own policies. Note here however how unchristian the spirit is in which Hardin writes. How she goes out of her way to mock those who do not share in her idiocy and ignorance. The manager looking like they ate a bowl of lemons, for example. This is an alleged Christian leader, writing on an alleged Christian website, acting with total disdain for anyone who disagrees with her. Cause you know, freedom.

"My mind immediately went to the Oregon baker and others who own private businesses around are nation who have not been allowed the freedom to follow their own principles, faith or business practices. They have been sued or put out of business for stating they are a private business and should be allowed to follow their own business policies. But that freedom, evidently, only applies if you are a liberal business owner. But I didn't say any of that as I stood before the angered manager.

Me: "Can you repeat what you just said so I can get it on video, and others will be completely clear about your policy?" I asked as I pulled my phone out.

Manager: "No you can't!" she hissed. "Put that away!"

So, she had the freedom to insist I wear a mask, but I didn't have the freedom to record her saying it. So, I simply pulled out my mask as requested. I held it over my nose and mouth.

Me: "Will you check me out, please?" I asked.

Manager: (Her anger increased by the second.) "It's not completely over your nose, and you don't have it behind your ears!

I wanted to laugh, but I knew that wasn't going to help the situation. Evidently, in this woman's mind, the all-important mandatory masks can't stop COVID unless they are latched behind the ears.

Me: (I re-positioned the mask completely over my nose and mouth before responding.) "I'm ready to be checked out please," I said for the second or third time. What was it going to take to give this company my money so I could leave?" - Karen Hardin

Yeah no. You are comparing apples and oranges. The baker refused to serve an individual based upon an extremely poor understanding of scripture whereas the store in this matter had a policy that applied to everyone. If the store's policy said only Christians must wear masks then you would have a decent comparison. Then this Christian leader threatens the store with videoing the faux incident that she antagonized! She did not take out her mask as requested. If she did, she would have been wearing it. The mocking of the employees continues to reveal how unchristian Hardin's behavior is. Why would anyone want to hear what she has to say about Christ? As for the idiotic question about what it will take for them to check her out? Wear a mask!

"The manager was seething by this point, but seriously, what was her issue now? My mouth and nose were covered. I had followed their rules and was masked. Weren't we all now "protected"?

Manager: "You are causing a scene! You need to leave now!"

Okay, well I wasn't the one causing the scene, but I didn't say that to her either. Her rage was getting to stroke level.

Me: "As soon as you check me out, I will be happy to go," I told her.

Obviously, she didn't know what to do as I held my ground with the mask still held over my mouth and nose. I had complied ... but her rage was too much for her.

Manager: "Just take the product and go! It's free. Just leave!" she insisted, like I had the plague and was contaminating the store.

Me: "Thank you so much," I said as I picked up the item and walked out.

As I reached my car, I looked back toward the store. I would not have been surprised if she had sent the police or security to come after me. Why? Because that is the new America that many have come to embrace. They have freedom, but we don't. The media and the left reconfirm that daily." - Karen Hardin

The amount of dishonesty is also staggering. Hardin had not followed their rules and was not masked. She was the one causing the scene. She caused it. She relished it. She pursued it. She inflamed it. Then, after harassing the store workers to the point of stroke, Hardin, the Christian, gleefully takes the product for free? Then she summarizes this incident as her not having freedom? That is just idiotic. She first had the freedom to not go to a store that did not adhere to her ignorance of science. She then had the freedom to leave since she was so insulted by being asked to wear a mask. She had the freedom to not mock the store workers and then write about it on a Christian website. Lastly, she had the freedom to leave them money for the item she essentially stole from them. Instead, she played the victimized Christian, persecuted not for her faith in Christ but rather for her ignorance to science and her disrespect to those she is supposed to reach the most.

"My question to you is this: Is this really the America in which you want to live? How about our kids or grandkids? Not me. But it's going to take more than just a few people standing up to the insanity to see this change. It's going to take courage and a willingness to say, "We're not doing this anymore." Is there really freedom in America or not? If we don't do something, there absolutely won't be.

Action Steps

-- Stay polite.

-- Stand resolute.

-- Know the law and your rights.

Isn't it time we stand up for our freedom and once again become the land of the free and home of the brave?

-- Be willing to stand firm for your rights, which are just as important as theirs. Don't let their anger cause you to be angered. Stay calm.

-- Be willing to walk out without your items. Private businesses do have a right to ask that. but if a liberal-owned store has that right, so does a store owned by a conservative." - Karen Hardin

The title of Hardin's article was "Be Brave or Lose Your God-Given Rights." Except choosing to not wear a mask during a worldwide pandemic is not a God-given right. Being arrogant and combative is not a God-given right. The notion that if Karen Hardin wears a mask in a local store that requires one means that it would lead to a loss of all of our freedoms here in America is beyond looney-tunes nuts. She was not polite in this exchange. She was rude, petulant and argumentative. She had the right to not shop there - that's it. The law was not on her side at all and she is lucky they did not call the police. Let this primarily remind us that the time is short. We must redeem the time that is left for those on the outside looking in. We should not be looking for reasons to pick a fight with them, no matter how much we convince ourselves we might be right. We represent Jesus Christ, not ourselves

Reverend Anthony Wade - April 19, 2021

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.