Convenient Versus Prudent, the Parable of the Two Builders

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7: 24 – 27)

I want us to look at this parable in a deeper manner so that we can be able to glean some treasures. This is because we might have heard it so often that we have lost the meaning Christ had intended.

The foolish builder was not very foolish if we looked at it from his perspective. And it will do to explain why.

I come from the slopes of Mount Kenya and as we know most hilly and mountainous areas place a premium on some naturally flat ground as it saves much time, work and money on leveling before building. Our friend must have discovered the ideal ground to build without much hassle and cost. It might have been a flood plain that had never encountered a flood. It might have been treated as a scare tactic to stop people from building on such an ideal portion of land. You see anybody who mentioned a flood said ‘once upon a time’ which is the language of folk tales. Or they would say ‘my great grandmother told me that her grandmother said…’ In any case even if it rained there was enough drainage to handle it before it got to his house.

Fellow villagers hailed him for doing what they had all desired to do yet had been too scared by the taboo associated with it.

Incidentally there was a friend who was also building around the same time but he was not as bold because he decided to build on the slope. People laughed at him because they knew that the jinx had already been broken and the taboo had been breached. He would take months before even laying the foundation of his house.

Our friend finished building in record time because he had enough assistance from people who had longed to see a house on such an ideal place. Some even volunteered materials and expertise for free because they wanted to laugh at the stories they had heard about the flood plain. Some were wondering how Noah’s flood still controlled people’s decisions.

The opening (house warming) ceremony was a grand affair. His friend who had taken the fear route was invited to be laughed at for wasting his resources on an underground nobody would see. Nothing he said could reduce the scorn directed his way. And it was worse for him because though they had started at the same time he was still at the foundation stage. When will he finish? Everybody asked.

Eventually many others decided to build along the feared ground because of the boldness of our friend. You see, apart from it being easier and cheaper to build, life there was easier and more convenient than on the slope. The house was more stable as it stood firmly on flat ground. Carrying things was easier as there were no hills to climb. Fetching water was fun since the river was not far. In fact our friend was treated as a savior of sorts to the village as he had enabled them start living a life of ease. Eventually a lot of the village uphill moved to the plain converting it to a small town.

His friend finally finished his house with considerable time and cost but his house was plain because nothing much was left after building. His house warming was also well attended by the same team of scorners who were demonstrating to him the consequences of his cowardice. He had spent a fortune and taken forever to build his house even as his friend had made his the model house with less investment.

They had enjoyed their new life of ease for some years when an unusually heavy rain descended one rainy season that the new village became scared. The river flooded its banks though it did not get near their small town. But it was enough to scare a few villagers out of that comfort that they moved up the slopes once again.

But our hero could not move even if he had wanted. He had invested his all in that house. And of course he would have looked very foolish moving to higher ground. And many of his friends were of that type. They had laughed at the fool who had built on the slope for so long that moving was out of the equation. And in any case that was the only time in their lifetime the river had burst its banks. There was therefore another lifetime before it occurred again. They boosted their courage in the face of the new threat to their choice by laughing at the cowards who were running from the comfort they had become accustomed to.

It sadly did not take a lifetime before disaster struck. One day the sky was unusually overcast and very threatening. None could remember seeing anything like it. As evening fell some light rain started and some fierce winds were blowing. But it was clear the worse would come later.

The cowards up the slopes came to plead with the families on the plain to go up or at least allow their children to move uphill. Some balked and allowed their children to go. But others, our hero included, decided that they will stick with their choice and sleep on the plain with their families.

At midnight a shrill scream was heard above the storm. And everyone heard it because they had been too scared to sleep. Their bravado had only been mouth deep. A lady had gone outside to relieve herself and seen a mountain rushing toward them. Of course she did not know what it was because it was some distance away. In fact it was because the moon was up that she saw its outline.

Everybody jumped out of bed and out of the houses.

Then they heard noises from the direction of the mountain, noises they could not place since they had never heard anything like it. It was very clear that the mountain was heading their way and everybody’s heart melted.

Those who had children quickly gathered them outside and scampered in fright to the slopes before whatever was coming could reach them. But not our hero or his henchmen! Though completely deflated by the new threat to the extent that they wanted to literally flee to the mountains with their families, they decided to laugh at those cowards who were scared just because they had heard a sound they did not understand. Some relatives, especially those who had earlier been scared enough to send their children up the slopes literally snatched the heroes’ children and fled with them to the slopes.

By the time they were able to see what that mountain was, there was no escaping from it though I doubt the heroes could have dared escape it anyway. It had rained much more on the mountains and since their valley was the place where all the water collected, (which explained why their river was the only big and permanent river around and slow enough to even have fish), the flood water had gone on gathering more and more water, uprooting trees and clearing everything in its way.

In the morning there was no trace of the once thriving town they had developed over the few years they had dared their history. None of the heroes escaped, though I suspect they chose death instead of the shame they could have had to endure for laughing at anyone who had appeared have more sense than they.

That is the parable for our times. I have reenacted it for us to get the main facts out.

The first fact is that the fool was not called a fool because he was plain foolish. The Bible looks at folly differently. Anything leaning away from God and His revelation is folly. Look at all the places the Bible talks about folly and that comes out clearly. Folly is the disconnection with God’s scheme of things. At the root of any Biblical folly is disobedience to God.

A girl decides that her prayers for a husband are taking too long to be answered and so lowers her expectations and standards. Then she will spend the rest of her life rebuking and praying against this or the other demon bringing her down instead of confronting her faulty foundation. Interestingly these are the major funders of the foolish preachers who are also investing in other foolish foundations.

A pastor discovers that preaching the cross and the sacrifice it entails does not bring in the offerings he would like and decides to settle on motivational preaching and worldly prosperity and thrives because he is able to attract other fools to sacrificially stand with him (2 Timothy 4: 3, 4).

A businessman discovers a shortcut to get the really profitable contracts and wonders why it took so long for him to discover. Since when did greasing a few gears to make the business wheels run effortlessly become sin? Since when did buying lunch and paying for a holiday become corruption? He reasons.

A Christian wonders why he has never got a promotion even as those he trains are getting one promotion after another. He discovers that the HR department goes by some unwritten qualifications in giving those promotions, explaining why he had been bypassed by at least ten people, people who came much later than him. And worse, people he trained. What is wrong with going for an outing to get a promotion? He discovers that it was his seriousness that scared people from asking him to go for those outings. He therefore decides to loosen up.

A minister has a hard time accessing support as his ministry is not very visible and pastors literally tell their congregations not to give to such as him. He decides to also become a pastor instead of continuing suffering.

A parent discovers that his children are not getting the right schools. He finds out that those schools are the preserve of people who know how to ‘greet’ teachers properly. What better investment can I give to my children? He reasons

A pastor handles many gifts from his flock. He is treated as the one who knows where they should go as he knows all the needs of the church as well as the direction of God. But he uses them to reward sycophancy and loyalty as well as punish dissent that many times is guided by his unspiritual leadership.

A leader realizes that his position is not secure. He therefore decides to divert all the resources in his sight by sharing with his campaign team instead of the legally entitled. He then ‘eats’ the rest.

We have several Biblical examples. Cain thought eliminating his brother would leave no option for God but to accept his offering. Esau thought an instant meal was better than a far off birthright. Lot’s daughters thought they may never get married and raped their father for children. Saul thought a scattering army was worse than a wrongly performed sacrifice. The rich fool thought his labors were concluded. The rich young ruler thought that his wealth was worth more than eternal life.

I will repeat. Anything we do that stands in the way of God, His word and revelation is a foundation on sand. It might be very convenient and offer very attractive and precious rewards but like the builders we have looked up will hold on until the real challenge comes.

But a faulty foundation is doubly dangerous. It is punished by the here and the forever. They will be demolished here and razed in judgment. Look at this

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1Corinthians 3: 11 – 16)

Think of those quick fixes you value. Do you treat them as foundations? What are they foundations of? Are they foundations you can go to God confidently to ask for His help in building?

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. (Deuteronomy 11:26 – 28)

This is the real determinant of the kind of foundation each of us is building on – OBEDIENCE to all that God tells each of us at the individual level as we interact with His complete revelation in His word, the Bible.

And I am not trashing preachers since I am one, but a species of preachers has emerged who have centralized God’s revelation in their person and locked out everybody else, even his loyalists. He (and many are women) is the only one who understands the Bible enough to give its application. He is the only one who can hear God’s voice.

My purpose of preaching and teaching is to help God’s people connect with God at their personal level as to make me irrelevant; otherwise I am not really serving God.

And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them! (Numbers 11: 27 - 29)

Again see this

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:28, 29)

Why do preachers teach this all the while trashing it in their application? But that is also a faulty foundation on their part. I for one want to see that passage actualized in my eyes so that everybody who comes in contact to any teaching coming from my mouth establishing an actual connection to the voice and direction of God.

I know that such a connection may require them to support someone other than me which is the main problem with most preachers as they cannot bear the thought of someone feeding from the offerings of their flock, forgetting that they are Christ’s flock at the end of the day.

Hearing God will also mean challenging my leadership and preaching, and not necessarily because it is wrong but to make it better. Few leaders want to be challenged. And it is no wonder that many are spewing damnable heresies to continue building their own Babel with those who follow them more than they follow Christ.

Shortcutting a Blessing II

I had promised to further develop this message and am sorry it has taken so long. Many times other messages push and shove for attention that I have to listen to the exact one God intends for the particular day. But I did not forget.

Today we are handling the operational aspect of the shortcut, looking at things that make a shortcut that transforms a blessing into a curse possible. I will therefore use a lot of examples to get us understand the message. But it is important to go back to the first part of this message as this is its continuation.

I will start with a pastor since I also am a minister. Where does a pastor find the greatest ease to minister? Say you receive calls from two sick people. One is in a high end hospital and the other is at home since he can’t afford the cheapest hospital. Let us say you prayed and both of them got healed.

Their gratitude will know no bounds. The rich guy will have been saved a tidy sum and time through that healing prayer and will most likely splash some of it on you. The poor guy will be so grateful that he will be remembering you in prayer many times in a day though you will not know it. What will that do to you? And what will happen if both invite you for a thanksgiving meal? That may be the place two roads are ahead of you, the blessing and the shortcut.

Many pastors I know will not think twice about where they should go. They will even rationalize their choice by saying that they do not want to burden the poor. But the driving force may easily be that the poor may be unable to even fuel the pastor’s car.

Rationalizing the reason to avoid the poor may be a certain shortcut to your blessing, a shortcut that may wreck your future completely. And it many times it is a future beyond your lifetime to the beneficiaries of that shortcut.

I have handled people who are so broken because they waited for days on end to see a pastor who was completely unavailable, yet sadly was easily available to people of means. Some unsuccessfully arranged an appointment for weeks, even months, appointments that were broken at short notice, some as they waited to be called in. Yet a man in a big car could get into the pastor’s office simply by walking into that office. It becomes bitterer for these desperate people because it was evident that their appointment was cancelled when the big shot came in.

Or you are in a government or organization procurement department were you make decisions concerning were to buy. You have a very good friend who supplies what you are looking for that you really want to give the contract to supply. He might even have as competitive an edge as any other bidder. Yet he is your bosom friend and you feel he really must get that contract. You therefore give him leakage concerning how much money the government has set aside for that job and the exact requirements and so he really has no reason to lose the contract. In the process he may even become more expensive than the rest just because he knows the decision maker, you.

What do you think will happen to the other bidders? Suppose the one who ought to have got the contract fails to service a debt God had provided that contract for. He might lose his business and probably be declared bankrupt just because you had to help a friend and so gave him undue advantage.

Of course your friend will appreciate you immensely and may even give you a very huge gift, and not as a bribe. But someone’s children might be starving because you snatched the contract from them. Children might be chased from school because of that single act of yours. They might even be evicted from their residence because of what you did.

That is a shortcut to your blessing. Bending the law to favor a friend may appear very wise. But you see God retains the right to determine what it is and its result to your future.

You might occupy a very senior position in an organization that offers scholarships to the needy and you decide only you and your friends are needy and therefore siphon most scholarships there. Though your children may get to the highest levels of education due to that boost, there are other children who may cut short their education because of your wisdom. Again that is a clear short cut for your posterity that they will pay dearly for.

You could be a teacher in a public school who uses the money you earn to take your children to private schools that are many times taught by less trained teachers. The truth is that your teaching is substandard but you know that the government cares less provided you appear in school. You are preparing other parents’ children poorly even as you use the money they pay you to give your children an edge. You may even charge them for extra tuition because you do not teach adequately during the usual hours so that your children can afford even better schools.

The sad fact is that you are selling your children to the devil. You see even the poor cry out to God and their children have as much a right as your children. And God is a just God.

You may be a pastor who directs all gifts to your person at the expense of people you know are also ministering though not in as conspicuous a manner as you are. You may even block any gift from going towards those others as you are scared they may start ministering at their capacity and start accessing the support due them without your facilitation and therefore stop your facilitation allowance. It is a shortcut you will pay for dearly.

You could be a businessman who bribes to buy all the stock from the distributors so that the others have no option than buy from you at whatever price you will set, making them more like your subsidiaries. That again is a shortcut punishable from on high.

Or you may be a law enforcer who has an abundance of pardon for lawbreakers, but for a fee. Some very wise people might decide to buy that pardon in advance so that they will not waste their time negotiating for it. This is most visible with the traffic department as they interact with vehicles and drivers every single time they are on the road.

It is therefore possible for an accident waiting to happen to pass the traffic check without a fuss as the driver thought it was cheaper to buy pardon than spend on the garage repairs. The offender and forgiver have shortcut their futures as that transaction might end up taking the life or health of someone with nothing to do with the transaction.

You might be an expert at putting people in their positions, especially those who do not seem to recognize you or the position you hold. This may range from demotions to disciplinary letters to created scandals to bring those threats down to below you. That is wickedness, however effective and convenient it might be. Remember Haman?

You may be a walking hyena, looking to benefit from the carelessness or folly of someone else instead of warning him. You rejoice when someone drops his money in your sight, even thanking God for that miracle. That is also a shortcut.

And many, many other scenarios. Taking advantage to benefit self is clear evidence of a spiritual shortcut to your destiny.

I will not go on to document the results of such shortcuts as I believe I am not dealing with fools or children. I have also not included scriptures to explain for the same reason. But they are available.

And I have not talked about the openly sinful ones for the same reason. Like the rich philanthropists who finance the university education of young people for gratitude in kind so that they get excellent education accompanied by rotten morals. There are also those who give jobs, house rent and food under similar conditions.

But the safest thing is avoid shortcuts at all times, however appealing they might appear. Again I repeat this message does not stand alone as it is a completion on the first one, ‘Shortcutting the Blessing’.

Do you know the blessing God has for you? Do you know the requirements for your accessing it? Do you know the path you are required to follow to get to it? And do you know the shortcuts that may easily annul that blessing or exchange it with a curse?

Free, the Small Print

It is interesting how easy we fall for free things, many times ignoring the glaring implications inherent in them.

We are human beings, delighting in being respected for hard work yet desiring free offers that may give a short cut into our destiny.

Yet do you know that free is not really free? Apart from God, any free offer is dependent on many hidden factors. And even with God the only difference is that He has no small print accompanying His offers. The Bible is His source of His conditions for His free offers and is therefore not a means to deceive us into making foolhardy and inconsiderate decisions as we accept His free offers.

The first point I will make is that free is not actually free. It is free because someone has paid for it. You ignore that part and you are in deception. This because free might be a trap meant to get you into indebtedness.

Why am I talking about the small print? Those in business understand very well what it means. When two people or entities are documenting a partnership or transaction there are some clauses that are mainly the domain of lawyers, many times being disclaimers of one type or another. And they normally are outside the main contract, being placed as a paragraph or two in very small letters. Yet they are not as small as their size indicates. They are the main part of the covenant as they give the conditions under which it can be voided.

You might buy an item with a two year warranty, yet in the small print indicate that the warranty is dependent on stable power supply that you may have no control over. Any breakage or fault can conveniently be explained in power terms, making it easy for them to argue away the warranty. Or a car could have a long warranty yet in the small print specify who ought to touch it. Should the car break down far from that garage or mechanic, the only option would be to have it repaired, thus voiding the warranty that you were not aware of as it was in the small print.

Insurance is the one that is known for small print. I know people who waited for years before being paid when their car was written off after an accident. Some are never paid because of terms that were in that small print.

Another thing I must mention about free is that it never ends in the receiving. The giver has a further intention of how far or what that free offer should accomplish. A parent gives his children the best gifts in life, then the best education but will be distraught if that child became a useless drunkard or sex maniac. That is when you hear of people say that a child accelerated the death of his parents by his lifestyle. Though the parent was not loaning the child all those goodies, he had an end in mind when he was offering them. And it is the same with God. Remember this

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26 - 29)

Does this nullify the fact that salvation is free? Of course not.

Yet I will not continue about God and His free offers as, like I have said earlier, God has documented His SMALL PRINT in His word, the Bible, with the expectation, nay command that anybody interested in Him and His free offers spend enough time digesting His word. Joshua 1: 8; Deuteronomy 6: 5 – 9; Ezra 7: 10; 2 Timothy 2: 15 are some of the scriptures giving that admonition. This in effect means that God has no small print in His free offers as all it requires is spending enough time in His word.

And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. (Luke 4: 6, 7)

Do you know that the enemy has enough free offers to last several lifetimes? Do you know that he is the master of the small print? Are you aware that he many times wants you to taste before you even realize that it is from him? And do you realize that many times his primary aim is to take you as far from God as possible.

Let us start with Eve. The devil just paints in very broad colors the desirability of the forbidden fruit as he shielded the small print of the implications of that act. It is after the act that they get to the small print.

And he has never changed one whit. He may change the appearance of this or the other but the foundation is the same. And in our days he has become the master of faking his gifts to appear as if they are from God. If we are not careful, in other words in tune with the flow of the scriptures, we will be celebrating the enemy’s free offers thinking they are from God. Then he will invoke the small print of his offers as he calls on us to keep our part of the bargain. And it will be very difficult to refute his contribution after having enjoyed his goodies.

Many effective ministers are brought to their knees by their supporters. A person gives and gives, and very generously so; until the minister develops an attachment to that loyalist. They are then taken places where only sin (most likely adultery) must result. Yet the minister was unaware of the net being drawn around him as he was blinded by the loyalty and support that was generously and selflessly offered him. I was told of this one who was asked to accompany the very supportive woman as she needed serious prayers. When they got into the house the woman stripped and gave him two options, he either sleeps with her or she screams that he tried to rape her. And as he chose the ‘lesser evil’ he was not aware that the woman had set up cameras in the house t record the whole thing. She then ordered him to stop preaching or she will expose him.

Publicity and fame are two things that I know have been used by the enemy since time immemorial. And the devil is a master of camouflage. The end of the game is his main focus. He then disappears when we have to confront the consequences of our actions. Remember that even at Eden he was nowhere after they sinned?

Having been a musician I have enough experience to handle this delicate subject. Seeing enough musicians losing their spirituality after becoming famous makes me highly suspect that publicity and fame are free offers from the other side. This is because there are very few, and I haven’t seen any, who become more spiritual after attaining fame and popularity. Very few, if any, become more dependable once their spiritual stature grows, many times the exact opposite being the spiritual product of that fame.

And the Bible is the best example to use. Do you know Saul when he was anointed king? He was humble and full of faith. Then of course he became famous or popular depending on your vantage point. Do you know that was the cause of his spiritual degeneration? Each of his sins was directly connected to that single fact.  He usurped the priest’s office to avoid his army scattering. And he saved the fattest animals because his army felt uncomfortable with wasting such fine meat. Eventually his life became so people sensitive that he completely lost his spiritual stature. Remember he still thinks of what his army will think of him after Samuel confronted him?

Contrast this with Moses. Was he popular? I do not think so. How many times did the crowd want to stone him? How many times were they looking for alternative leadership? Yet why do we admire him? He never lost his spiritual connection. The only thing the Israelites could say of him was that he was a man of God. And why was that so? He never sought the popular route. In fact he never even considered it when making decisions, except that single time that led to his disqualification from entering the Promised Land. He was known as a man who never did anything, however obvious it was, before asking what God wanted.

Popularity feeds on itself. When people like my posts so much until I feel indebted to them it becomes very easy to bend my listening to God to satisfy my ‘fans’. I will not write things that could offend them since they are feeding my human craving for affirmation. I could therefore very easily sink like Saul did because I do not want, nay, I fear losing all that acclaim.

I know pastors who have totally lost it after they became highly sought out as preachers, especially if, and many times because that desirability was accompanied by a lot of gifts. I groan when I listen to some sermons because the cross has been eliminated. They are now motivational speakers, only that they use the Bible to get their points. They have forgotten the reason Christ came, even diverted it to mean that Christ died to satisfy our every whim.

Money is another thing that does not always come from God. Yet being the deceiver he many times wants us to initially think it is from God. Again let us look at scripture.

Solomon was promised wealth, and he became rich. But do you realize that he fell because there was some wealth from the other side? Why do I say this?

God had clear directions concerning His people’s dealings with the nations around them. And Solomon breached that. And I am sure he did not seek those partnerships initially. His popularity brought people to him who desired what he had and knew that the only way to access it was through partnership.

But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. (Deuteronomy 17: 16, 17)

Of course he couldn’t offend all that favor and gifts coming his way. He therefore acceded to the partnership offers being extended to him, all the while neglecting the clear direction of scripture and eventually going directly against it. Was that money from God? You tell me.

Again look at David. Was he rich? Of course he was. But we see him going the unpopular route many times that he baffled his army because he had to have God’s clear direction before he took any action. His wealth was a trust from God and not his personal property. Remember him declaring the same spoil allocation for those who stayed with the supplies as the ones that were at war? And why so? It was not in doubt to Him who had fought the war. Do you also remember him feeding the whole city when the ark was brought to Jerusalem yet he was the king instead of taking a tax for the same? Do you remember that even though Solomon build the temple all the materials, plans and worship arrangement were done by David who knew that he would not build that temple?

The point I am making is that we can very easily confuse goodies from their source and that confusion will have dire implications on our lives, even eternity.

The one who builds you has the right to destroy you if you do not satisfy his demands. And that is the small print I am talking about.

I am sure you may have heard a complaint similar to this. A girl is educated by a man who is not her relative to the highest levels but refuses marriage when the same man wants and goes ahead to complain to the whole world. Or a person is given a job without qualifications yet refuses to compromise or sin when the person who gave the job demands. That is folly to me. It is assuming that there was no small print in those contracts. Why did they not ask to be given the complete contract to understand?

Or the media elevates you and then you refuse to do what they demand. Would they be evil if they destroyed what they built? Or the crowds build you up and you insult them.

A relative was aspiring for a political position and everybody had agreed that he was the one to represent them since he had served them very well in other capacities. In fact he was approached by them for representation. And it was known years before the elections were declared. All the other candidates stood for elections as a matter of course and not with much expectation.

A few days before the elections women had a meeting where his wife was present. I was not told what happened but in the course of the meeting the man’s wife insulted the women and that was the end of the political ambition of him.

You see, the one who has given has the capacity to take away.

God gives in such a way that our relationship with Him is enriched. The world gives so that the same relationship is strained or broken. And this because a rich relationship with God will trash the world and all it offers. And the world will never offer something that will keep our relationship with God solid.

Whatever you do or get has one source or the other. It is either God or the world that is offering. And the sad fact is that the devil is not content with just giving from his resources; he derives the greatest delight from corrupting the genuine gift from God.

Let us say I have a singing talent. In other words any sound or instrument I touch produces musical gold. And as a believer I dedicate that gift from God to His glory. I not only sing but I also help others exploit the singing gift, pointing them all to God.

People will value my contribution to their lives to an extent that they almost idolize me. Any forum I attend changes direction after my arrival. Any decision made must have my input for it to be considered wise even when it is very different from my expertise. They make me a superman of sorts. I gain greater influence than my pastor so that he needs to hear my theological input though I may have no theological training.

Yet that is not the major problem. The real problem occurs if I sin. They are scared to scare me off because I have become irreplaceable. My sin, though it might be very open, will be covered up or glossed over to avoid the confrontation that might cause me to stop their interests. And sin so covered will continue festering like an untreated wound, spreading its gangrene all over the body. But worse is the fact that sin causes a spiritual injury that needs that confrontation to heal. Lack of the confrontation will lead to the spiritual death of the sinner – all because the pastors were scared to chase such a useful person from their service. And it is worse because sin is never comfortable to operate in solitude. It must have adequate company with other sin and sinners. Ever wondered about this verse?

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. (Psalm 32: 3, 4)

I am sure that David was not the only person who knew about his serial sins. Yet it took a year or more before Nathan confronted him. And it is probable that all those who knew feared his position than God whose laws he had broken. He was too useful to confront like the musician I have mentioned. Imagine the spiritual torture he underwent t write that!

And that is why I suggest that popularity and fame are free gifts from the other side. The clear fact is that it rarely, if ever leads to righteousness or confronts evil and sin. In my many years as a singer, composer, choir trainer and instrumentalist, the only time I remember being confronted is when I responded to God and went to work with another choir in a different church. I have also been able to work and minister in churches that may not agree with my doctrine because of that gift.

However, since God led me out of that season many years ago and into inconspicuous ministry and especially refused me to take the many pastoral offers that have been extended my way, I have encountered rebuke after rebuke, some that is most comical. I have been rebuked for listening to God and doing exactly what He has ordered because it did not make sense to whoever was rebuking. Yet we are talking about close to twenty years of consistent ministry outside the limelight. I have been rebuked by spiritual toddlers. I have been rebuked by people I have taught the ropes of ministry. I have been rebuked by people I have discipled and mentored for doing things they do not understand. Many will later come to apologize after seeing things differently.

Let me ask you a question. When between now and when I was in music do you expect me to have had a richer experience with God? When ought I to be more connected to His voice? I ask this because none of these rebukes have to do with sin or wickedness but rather with preferences and trends. They will many times rebuke me because in their understanding God cannot order me to do what they do not understand. You see, it is after God led me out of the music ministry that I have grown more and am of course more mature in the things of God. I have greater clarity with the voice of God than then. I am even more stable in my faith than then. Yet it is now that I experience rebuke of this or that nature because I do not have the stature I had as a musician.

And what I am saying about music is not much different from the acquisition of wealth and titles. I have seen pastors look the other way when a rich man sins. I have seen people in the middle of a public scandal getting a church leadership position irrespective of that unresolved scandal. Of course we know of politicians who visit witchcraft dens having holy hands laid on them the only time they attend church prior to the elections.

Can you honestly say that these are from God? Remember Christ said that we shall know them by their fruit. Is that fruit consistent with Christ’s expectation?

It is no wonder that sin thrives in some places. This may be a clear sign that they do not come from God. And of course there is the small print because they do not come from God. Though the gift initially may have been from God, it was later corrupted by the enemy of souls, but with our permission.

You see we love money and will rarely question its source because money from sin does not look any different from the one from holiness. And like most people like to quote money answers everything, conveniently forgetting that all that is on the temporal direction. It is therefore a very sad reality that a rich abominable character is treated with greater respect than a poor saint, even in church.

How do I then know whether what I have is from God or the world? Incidentally my effort qualifies as the world especially if it gains prominence over the grace of God.

I will give only one test though I know there are more. How often do you receive clear, godly, wholesome and scripturally sound rebuke? How many mature believers are not scared to ask you to clarify issues regarding your lifestyle without fearing your displeasure? How many men of God will look you straight in the face and tell you that the decision or action you have taken is wrong though financially or professionally convenient? When was the last time someone warned you that the company you kept was detrimental to your spiritual health? When was the last time a prophet came to you like Nathan went to David without bringing positive prophecy?

Compare yourself with Christ, who, being God and without sin or fault, encountered opposition and confrontation from all directions. Remember He was even rebuked by His most vocal supporter? And He said that we should expect resistance and opposition even as He encountered (John 15: 20). Remember sending His disciples as lambs among wolves (Luke 10: 3)?

Smooth sailing may be the free gift from the adversary who retains the small print to use against us in his time.