He frowned, not seeing the relevance of the question. “I don’t know,” he stammered. “I hadn’t thought about it.” Seeing I was not accepting this answer, he shrugged and continued. “I suppose, um … she’ll probably be surprised.”

“When the next script comes in, and it requires behavior or scenes you don’t think God would approve of, what will you do?”

The light dawned. His eyebrows arched as he sat back on the couch, his back straight. “Um, well … I guess I would … look for a better way to play the scene? Suggest changes?”

“Everyone wants to know what you think, Jack. Do you know—I mean, have you ever really considered—the power you have over people? What your opinions can do? What your endorsement or condemnation can cause?

“If you’re serious about God, Jack, if you’re serious about believing in Him, and following Him, and allowing Him to determine the course your life will take, then you’re setting yourself up for a lot of gossip, and rumors, and snubbing, and cold shoulders, and outright denouncements of friendship, because people do not like to be told that they have made the wrong choice with their lives, and your decision for God is going to hold a mirror up to a lot of people who would rather not see the reality of their decisions. If you’re willing to go through with that, then we are on the same page, and it is enough. But if not, then we’re where we were in June.”

JACK

I FELT STABBED. Of course I knew and understood the outrageous amount of attention and importance people gave me. But I was embarrassed to admit I had not considered the effect my beliefs would have on my career and my image in the eyes of the public.

What would Kate say? She was my link to the public—to the press, more important—the one responsible, whether I liked it or not, for shaping my image. Her lack of support might cost her her job, as she well knew, but she was talented and could easily find employment with someone else.

What would my friends say? I thought of Todd. He would laugh and make a joke—make a lot of jokes, who was I kidding?—and never really be okay with it, although he would claim to be and never mention it again. Sean … I had no idea how he would respond. All around he seemed like a decent guy; I couldn’t remember him ever making disparaging comments—at least not about peoples religion. Other than those two, and Kate and Grace, I could think of no other people I would really call friends.