Something was bound to happen.  And it did.  If you put a large group of almost 100 Baptist preachers together, standing and waiting….  Well, there we were on a staircase in the Georgia state capitol building waiting on Governor Kemp to come for the scheduled photo with us, and someone started singing “Victory in Jesus.”  So we all joined in, and I have to say it sounded quite impressive.  Then came the encore of “Amazing Grace” and “God Bless America.”  My son and I were there for the Citizen Impact Pastors’ and Ministry Leaders’ Day, and we were able to interact with several of our legislators as well as be informed of important issues coming up in this year’s legislative session.  The photo with the governor was a bonus.  In the group was a pastor from India, there as a guest of a member of the group.  And he made a comment that has stuck with me, and well it should.  He said that he hoped we did not take for granted the freedom we have to openly interact with our government leaders, to speak freely of our Biblical values right there in the halls of our state capitol, and even to sing on those steps.  And he’s right.  If by God’s grace we have this freedom, we must not sit idly by while the voices of the abortionists, the LGBTQ advocates, and those who would like to limit the free exercise of our Biblical values work hard and long.  When it comes to this freedom’s opportunity to be salt and light and make a difference, we must not wrap it “up in a napkin” and bury it in the earth (see Luke 19).  No, we must use it, invest it, and seek to grow it for God’s glory.  In other words, don’t just stand around and wait; lift up your voice and sing!