In the Church, if we are really united and care about the message of Christ, we will find a way to work together. No matter what side of the aisle you sit on politically, if you believe in Christ, if you believe in humanity and that the world should be a better place, if you believe that our Savior died on the cross to show grace to all of us, then you will show grace and love to others.

We’re in a time where issues that have been swept under the rug for a long time are now being brought to the limelight. Social media really exposes a lot of things to the human eye, often blowing them out of proportion or changing the narrative. But at the end of the day, if you love God, find a way to work together with whoever is in your particular community. Act together on an issue you feel led to, but stop the finger pointing. If you believe something needs to be changed, pray about it and then find a way to do something about it.

In the world of football, you see people coming together from a variety of backgrounds, diverse races and religions, and different socioeconomic statuses every Sunday. Differences are brushed aside when we come together during the season for a unified purpose: to win.

If we can do it on the football field, I know we can do it as a society. People in the locker room have political views; views on taxation, international and foreign affairs, terrorism, racial injustice, racism. Sometimes it feels like people don’t view us as human. But we are human! We bleed. We put our socks and shoes on just like everyone in the world around us. In the locker room, though we have all types of perspectives, we come together in respect to accomplish something together. And we do that on a weekly basis.

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On a personal note, God has been pressing on my heart, lately, the importance of being intimate with Christ and God. We get so busy in life where we lose focus on the main thing. I claim God, family and football as my priorities, but am I spending hours upon hours of time with my Heavenly Father, which I need to be doing?

Anything that is of flesh is sin. The Bible talks about the fact that we have to kill the flesh. We have to die daily, pick up our cross, and follow Him. This is the inner battle that has to happen. I’m always soliciting prayers that God would kill the flesh — the old me that can kill me and my marriage if I allow it to.

In addition to asking my confidants to lift me up in prayer, I seek God for my flesh to die daily. I recently returned from a shut-in, where I fasted and prayed for this very thing: that God would continue to humble me, that I would have intimacy with Christ and that I would kill flesh daily. For me, I ask the questions, “How can I dive more into Christ?” and “How can I dive into my marriage deeper?” How can I work on those things — the things that are most important?

Football is great, but if I play football and lose my family and lose the covenant I have with Christ, none of it even matters. For me, it’s about protecting the gift that God has given me; not the gift of football, but the gift of life. I will protect that with everything I’ve got.

— Kelvin Beachum, New York Jets offensive tackle

The Increase, part of the Sports Spectrum Network, is a community of Christian pro athletes sharing their personal stories of the decrease of self and the increase of Christ (John 3:30). Visit TheIncrease.com for more stories and videos.