3 months ago
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A few years back, we organised a program for schools and I had gone to a particular school owned by a ‘’fire brand’’ church to enlist the participation of their students.
While we talked, the headmistress invited some teachers to join the discussion. One teacher in particular stood out from the rest.
She was young, had permed hair and a ‘’glowing yellow skin.’’ Apparently, she was new in the system and I said to myself, ‘’we will see how she fares in this environment a few months from now. Either she begins to look like the rest or she quits this space.’’
It happened as I thought! When the program came up again and I went back to the school, my lady had begun to look like the rest. Her radiance and warm disposition had gone. No. It’s not the Holy Spirit that has arrested her.
Whatever she did was to be able to fit in. If you take her away from that environment with a good job offer, she will not believe what she let happened to her.
Do you know the shocking reality? She may not be happy looking that way but I suspect that fitting into the church people’s narrative of a born-again is more important to her.
Such born-again settings are judged by appearance only and can make life depressing for you if you don’t conform to their way. And most of them are women, whose unhappiness is happily going to church with them.
In my discussions with the school principal, she expressed concerns about their students mingling with other students she claimed are “still in the world.”
I told her that if their students can not mingle with others and remain the light and salt of the earth, then, their born-again is plastic or forced.
A young lady joined our family some years back, as a care-giver to Mama.
She has remained with the family, even after Mama’s demise. She was the type that took very good care of herself, from head to toe.
I admired that about her a lot. I came back from a trip recently and she came to see me. Her radiance is gone. Her hair which used to be full and well styled is something that I am finding hard to describe right now.
Suddenly, it all began to make sense to me. The times I called home and was told that she went to church. Even on a weekday when she should be attending to the business that puts food on her table?
I simply told her that ‘’not taking care of yourself does not make you more spiritual or worthier (before God) than anybody.’’
I also told her that if I were a young man and the church was full of her type who don’t take care of themselves, I would pick a wife from outside the church.
I don’t know why it would even be lost on anybody that the evidence that you are born-again is in your character. I also want to put it to you that if how you determine who knows God is in how they look, you are the one who does not know God.
Sincerity of heart is what makes the spirit of God do His work in us and when He has done that work, it reflects more in our character. It is not what you do to look like the others or to be seen as a born-again.
It is who you become daily. If your character is not doing the preaching, you are mocking the spirit of God! A childhood friend and I touched base recently and I asked after one of the brothers.
He told me that the brother in question had not visited home in many years. And he neither calls home nor sends anything to their aged mother.
That reminded me of another townsman, who hadn’t come home in about a decade. Not even when his mother and two brothers died! Both men are said to be doing exploits in the city, for their ‘’fire-brand’’ church.
The biggest preaching you can give to anyone as the born-again you say you are is the goodness of your character. If I am not at home with your character, whatever you are preaching becomes an irritation to me.
Let the God you know reflect in your character, first. A lot of Christians who say they are born-again are missing it. The church you attend isn’t proof that you know God.
What shows you know God is WHO you are! When you exert the right energy on people, they want to know your God too or at least, they will respect your relationship with that God, because you represent Him well.
