Not The Body, But The Attitude…

I walked faster, as long as I don’t get to see even a part of his face, it was enough for me.

I walked faster, with my heart beating faster than I walked. It wasn’t beating out of fear. I think it was anger and irritation, and maybe a little of hate. Though I hate to admit that I’d carry Jesus right inside of me and carry hate too.

I heard a loud ‘Grace!’ behind me and I knew I’d been seen. So much anger in my head to even turn around. How did God create someone like Kamsi in the first place. How did it happen? I’d never seen someone living with so much mischief and hatred and rebellion, until I met Kamsi. Kamsi is the first I’ve ever seen.

I didn’t have to turn to look at his face. Kamsi dragged my hair that was packed in a doughnut style by my mum that morning and made me face him.

I thought I heard my neck make a little cracky sound. I didn’t want to die this way! I turned around sharply and screamed at him, ‘what now? What do you want?.’

The answer I got was a loud smack on my left cheek!

I could feel my school bag leaving my body without any kind of help from me and I ran towards the school with Kamsi at my heels.

He screamed every kind of insult at me, but I didn’t wait. I ran, I cried and I swore. I ran. The gate to the school was locked and I stopped, scared to death.

‘What’s this God, what’s this? I don’t know what else to do besides kill myself before he finds me.’

I banged at the gate, even though I know the gateman would rather die on his little, old radio than save me from death, yet I banged anyway. I hit the gate and while I thought about screaming too, I saw Kamsi running towards me like a bull dog.

I screamed with every energy in me.

*.

For some of us, it could be just like Gracie’s, we may be caught in between loving God and wondering if a bully who didn’t know God should even be loved or looked at.

For yet others, it wouldn’t get to the point where we’re being bullied, it could just be hatred for you when you believe in the same God they don’t want to even hear about.

We get caught up in the whole situation, we wonder if they deserve to be looked at.

We as humans could get so irritated with the attitude, character and lifestyle of some persons that we suddenly start nursing feelings of irritation, dislike and unacceptance towards such persons.

We forget that we should dislike the attitude and pray for a change and not hate the person or body bearing such attitude.
It makes us lose people we could bring to the Kingdom of God, we hate people instead of what’s making them act that way.

While we were at our worst, God died for us, showed us the light and brought us home. I can’t talk about your worst before Christ came for you, but I can talk about mine. I was at my worst, I felt I’d never be redeemed, never be saved but God came for me. How he forgave me and forgot my transgressions is a great show of love I’d never forget.

The same God that died for you and came through for you who is feeling all stable and strong in Christianity, who’s busy hating and judging people who have not come to the light yet..
The same God that died for me even when I didn’t deserve it..
Is the same God that’s still waiting for the unsaved, lost ones you’re busy hating and judging.
It’s not His Will that any should perish, but to come to repentance, why do you pass judgement on what Christ hasn’t?

We are all God’s Creation. God created everyone. God is for everyone. It’s a privilege that you’re in the light now, it’d be wise not to take it for granted. There are persons in many parts of the world who long for this knowledge you’ve got.

Many crave for this beautiful peace and hope that comes from knowing and loving God.

You indirectly give the devil reins over the lives of people when you forget that their eyes has been blinded by the god of this world and they can’t see.
You can help them by praying them out of darkness, instead of hating and pushing.
May God’s Spirit constantly remind us of God’s love for the world and not only for selected few.

We don’t have to be unequally yoked, we don’t have to be friends too, it’s not just compulsory, what’s compulsory is love and patience. We can’t force friendship and acceptance into the lives of people, we can only love them, pray for them and help them in the best ways that we can.
And if they’re the violent type, pray for them in your closet. Don’t hate. Don’t judge. Don’t spread rumours.
May we not be vessels through which the devil wins. Amen.

Joy C. Uchenaya