Eketi Edima Ette: Are you Jesus?

by Eketi Edima Ette

All my life, whenever someone has made this statement to me, it’s always been in the negative. It’s often used to tell me I’m being “too righteous.” Or to indicate that I’m doing right, when it would be more profitable to look the other way or join in wrongdoing.

Most often than not, this statement is made by so-called Christians.

But someone said something to me recently that put this sentence in a whole new light.

She said, ” Auntie, you do things like Jesus.”
I said, “Of course, I’m his sister.”

It breaks my heart that this country has more churches than it has righteous men and women, living and walking in love towards one another.

You spend more time praying about your enemies and willing them to die. Every day. Your mother in law. Your neighbour. Your rival in the market.
But Christ didn’t have water in his mouth when he said, “Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you.”
Why are you not doing so?

You jump from church to prayer house, looking for who will sell visions about your mother in law being a witch. You’ve been a believer for a decade and cannot stand on what the scriptures say.

Every Sunday, we troop to church hold our bibles and shake our heads at how mean and rigid the Pharisees were.

But we, we’re worse.

I’ve seen someone step over a dying neighbour who needed to be taken to the hospital. She had the exact amount of money needed to help. But she refused to help.
Why?
Because she was going to pay her tithe. She said “God will make a way for you people to find the money.”

I looked at this woman and I remembered Christ’s parable of the Good Samaritan.

I’ve seen a church elder rip off another elder to the tune of 2 million naira.
Why? He said,” Business is business and church is church. In business, you must be a sharp guy.”

We don’t even know what it means to love. And when we see someone who is striving by God’s grace to do that, we demean them. We say, ” Are you Jesus?”
Of course, we who say we follow Christ, we should be like him.
We’re not perfect, but we’re working towards perfection, which will come in eternity.

If you say you’re a Christian and not one person in your family, workplace or community has seen Jesus in you, you’re a waste.

If all your Christianity consists of is going to church every Sunday and attending every midweek service, with nothing else to show for it, I say you’re a waste.

If your Christianity demands that you revere your pastor above God, above what is right, you’re a joker.

If you’re a pastor or a leader and your congregation is in need and debt and all you keep talking about is how to organize money to erect a new church building, you’re a thief.

Listen, you are the only Jesus some people will ever get to see. Act like him!
We’re not here to laugh and play and leave it at that. Our mission is to touch lives, to share the love and light of Christ.

Stop arguing about people’s dresses.
Stop fighting over make up and jewellery.
Stop fighting over tithes.

Stop quarrelling over which church denomination is the best.
Stupid hashtags like #ProudlyAnglican #ForeverCatholic #ApostolicForlife#RedeemedIsTheBest #WinnersForever are needless distractions to our assignment here, ESPECIALLY when we use these hashtags and our hearts are filled with anger and hatred towards our neighbours.
Do you really think there’s a Redeemed or Catholic heaven? You think there’s a United Evangelical heaven and an Apostolic one?
Or that God will say, “Well done, good and faithful Dunamis member.”
These things don’t matter!

We are called to love. We are meant to share the gospel. To help those in need. To walk and live in peace, as much as lies in us.

If you’re a Christian and refuse to help someone in need because you don’t want anyone to use your money or clothes for juju, check yourself. You don’t know God. You’re just a scaredy-cat in Christian camouflage.

Wake up, people!

Souls are thirsty for the truth.
People are hungry for love.
People are suffering and need help.
People are in pain.

The world is going to hell in a hand basket and we’re preoccupied with frivolities.

Arrrrrrgghhhh!

What do I know sef?
Let me gaan Ushey o ni se my work.


Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

 

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