Some people take Christians for fools when we are calm in some situations. I had an experience while travelling three days ago that reinforced this conclusion in me. For a brief moment that day, I regretted my lack of grasp of the Yoruba abuses I hear around me all the time.
It has been some time since I felt the strong urge to describe the colour and shape of another human’s head to him. I resisted successfully that day though. Thank God.
My brother, thank you for that question. I’ll answer it. It was a simple problem o. In trying to load the bus with the passengers’ luggage so that our journey could begin, this man pushed a bag so far that my headrest became the bag. Yes? What if it’s only a three-hour journey? I was not having it.
I asked nicely that he adjust the bag but he pretended not to hear. I asked again, and he pushed the bag further in. I asked again. He demanded that I manage it like that and face the front.
Laugh with me o, my brethren. Can you imagine? After waiting two hours for us to get to this stage of bus loading, sef? I stood, turned to face him from my back seat and told him point blank, that I would remove the bag and throw it out from my window if he refused. He still ignored me, smiling that smile that said, “You’re a blabber.”
He thought I was joking. Ah, because of my English ba? Wo, I held the bag and started shifting it when the rest of the passengers spoke up against him and he had to rectify the situation. I ended up being as comfortable as possible to be in a Nigerian short-distance public transport.
When I sat back down, the situation corrected, an older woman in the front turned to me to apologise. It had been her bag causing the problem. I immediately pacified her. “Oh, Mummy, I don’t have a problem with you. You were not the one loading it.”
I don’t know how you read this, but everything I did was way calmer than how I felt on the inside. Funny enough, I still felt a twinge of guilt because I felt I should not have raised my voice at all. But my conscience was clear.
You might have heard me say this before. I’m not much of a fighter. I swallow a lot of thrash that would disturb most people without the slightest thought to it. I used to think this was a problem. Society, no I mean, Nigeria teaches us to fight, to push, to get the things going our way.
When I use the word “mad” in my title. I don’t mean that first picture that comes to your mind. Here, it represents anything that tempts the Christian to briefly want to come down from the cross Jesus nailed you to. The problem is, that one action can cause you a lot more backward movement than you could have ever foreseen. Few have even had to pay for it throughout their lifetime.
Let God Judge!
Some years ago, I received peace of mind when I saw a verse in the Bible. Finally, I wasn’t the fool I secretly thought I was. Finally, I had a reason to do my “forgetting” thing with much boldness.
Have you seen it before? Where God says, “Vengeance is mine. I shall repay all.” (Romans 12:19)
This works very well for me. Let God do the judgement. I don’t want to spend my life overthinking matters and fighting.
No one is asking you to allow people to use you as a rag for their feet. As you saw, I took action on that bus to fix the situation. But, there are times you must play the fool. I do them a lot. You will know those situations when they come.
Imagine fighting with a tout that says I’ve not paid him for something he supplied to me when he received the funds. I’m tired already, only imagining the scenario now: the crowd gathering, the insults, the explanations, the social media posts, the pulled-out phones of self-journalists, raised voices, anger, tears quite possibly etc. Uh, nope. I’ll simply give him the money again. Triple, if I can.
Then, let God judge.
If you feel that the only way to make more money is to defraud me, do it. I may or may not notice but that’s your business alone…and God’s.
Your case may not be an open one. It may be a deep hurt from someone you trust or something you cannot tell others. It may be financial, physical or emotional hurt. Still, you need to find a way to let go.
You need to live with the consciousness of a rightful judge in existence. He requires no funds from you, not even a report many times to judge your case. All deeds on Earth will get replayed. So, receive peace today. Let the hurt pass. Face your future with one less load. Let God judge.
Okay, I get that I’m a small girl that knows nothing. Would you at least listen to Apostle Paul?:
“…why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?” 1 Corinthians 6:7 (NLT).
I Loove hearing from you!