And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Luke 15:3-5.
Last week I did write on ‘DON’T CURSE YOUR GEHAZI ‘ I must say I saw the greatest expression of hypocrisy and ignorance amongst ‘Christians’. Some accused me of trying to validate Gehazis greed and betrayal of his master; some tried to school me on scriptural exegesis while some called me all manner of names which may not be necessary to restate here. Was I really surprised? No! I remembered I was like that, I remember how I detested the company of those who dared make light of spiritual matters until God corrected me and made me understand that my views or that of any man or denomination are not His standard for relating with His creation. JESUS remains the standard and JESUS alone. He took me through the earthly life and ministry of Jesus, I had to bow in repentance.
Many times as mortals, we are quick to conclude on people’s suitability for a task by what we see and know of them today without giving them the time to possibly evolve into what is expected of them. We’re always quick to judge, conclude, make a public ridicule and discard anyone who has a weakness in the area of our strength forgetting we may have other areas of weakness that maybe that person’s area of strength but God’s mercies and love covered us.
The question is, what was the benefit of Gehazis leprosy to the ministry of Elisha and the kingdom of God?
What is the use of your ten hours in prayer but still habours envy, jealousy and bitterness against someone?
You don’t commit fornication and adultery I know but you slander, backbite and play politics within the church system, so what are you?
You don’t steal and commit murder I know, but you battle with anger and unforgiveness, what is the difference before God?
You are very committed to church I know but within your neighborhood and workplace you have no fruit of righteousness, what is the difference between you and someone who has never seen a church building?
Before you cast a stone against someone, please pause and check if you are really qualified to cast that stone.
In my almost 25 years of walking with God, I have seen former very unserious christians turned into firebrands for God. I have seen former armed robbers and cultists become great Apostles shaking nations for God. I have also seen those who appeared to be having God in their pockets become great disappointments.
In 1986, two famous American preachers had moral failures that became a global embarrassment to the church, many castigated, rejected, concluded and discarded them as ecclesiastical disgrace but those men eventually came back to God and God never consulted anyone whether they should be forgiven or not. Those men today have their second and third generation still preaching the gospel while those who made a mockery of them are no where to be traced.
Jesus knew about the antecedents of Mary Magdalene yet gave her a chance to evolve into a pillar of ministry Luke 8:3. Jesus knew the woman caught in adultery deserved to be stoned to death but He gave her another opportunity to prove herself. John 8:3-11. The religious people saw a prostitute out of the woman with the Alabaster box but Jesus saw a potential vessel Luke 7:37-50. Jesus knew that Judas was a thief and yet He gave him the opportunity to change until Judas destroyed himself with his own hands. John 12:4-6. Jesus met a condemned armed robber on the cross and from there changed his destination to paradise without hesitation while others were busy counting his offenses Luke 23:40-43.
Was Jesus comfortable with their lifestyle or identified with their sins? No! He only believed everyone is changeable with prayers, time, patience and training.
Jesus prayed for Peter when the devil entered him Luke 22:31-32, forgave him when he lied and denied the Master Luke 22:54-62, Jesus came back for Peter with bread and fish after he abandoned the assignment and the flock for fishing John 21:3-17. Yet the same Peter was quick to render judgment on Ananias and Saphira when they lied just once Acts 5:1-11. He probably forgot all the mercies Jesus showed him before he became what he was. That is man for you!
NOTE: THAT GOD CONFIRMED YOUR WORDS OVER SOMEONE DOES NOT MAKE HIM VALIDATE YOUR ACTIONS. You can ask Moses if you are in doubt.
When a brother or sister leaves the faith and is abandoned by church people because they did evil, to whose loss is it, heaven or hell?
When a potential minister is discarded and rejected because of a mistake, whose loss is it?
A true shepherd is not concerned first with what made the sheep to stray from the fold but on how to get it back to the fold and make it safe from predators before using the rod on it.
The greatest joy of the devil is the loss of a potential heaven candidate.
I believe in absolute holiness, purity of life and conduct, submission to spiritual leadership and authority but I also believe in mercy and grace.
It doesn’t matter how long you have been a Christian, your ecclesiastical titles, scriptural exegesis and theological sagacity, as long as you don’t care what happens to the destiny of that young lady in the brothel; that young man battling with addictions or the sheep sent to you by God for nurturing, you may be surprised on the last day.
To those of you who are faultlessly righteous before God and men, thank God for you, I celebrate with you. For those who are projects in progress, struggling with one issue or another, please don’t be comfortable with it; don’t give up on yourself and your capacity make it. God is counting on you, His grace is available for you. Trust Him for help and strength. Backsliding is never an option. Many have been through your current battles and God brought them through, yours will not be an exception.
SEE YOU NEXT MONDAY ON THIS PLATFORM.
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