Whose Image?

I was raised in a staunch Catholic home; I watched both parents and now my dad live the best Christian and Catholic lives that they could live, they tried as much as possible to imbibe in us those values.

At my age, I make bold to say that I have heard it all but sometimes you may hear something that you have always heard and it sounds like you just heard it for the first time.

I was privileged to hear a lady preach the word of God in the course of the week and since then I haven’t been the same. I may never attain perfection but I will never stop trying. Since then I have shared this message twice and I know that I will be sharing it for a long time.

“Whose Image do you carry?” Sometimes, we may see a child and say to the child’s parent, “this baby is your carbon copy, she looks exactly like you”.

In close knit communities, especially in the villages, someone’s parents can easily be identified by the person’s behaviour or demeanour, then you hear things like “she is rude like her mother Mgbeorie” or “he is a great hunter like his father Romanus”, this happens because people carry the images or identities of their parents.

The same is the case in our spiritual lives, the way we live portrays the image of the One who owns us. We either represent Christ or betray Him. We all belong to Christ but may deny him with the way we carry on.

How do we betray Him? There are several vices which we engage in, they may seem little to us whereas they are eating deep into our souls and sending us straight to eternal damnation. Do you grumble when Godly things are being discussed but can dance for two straight hours in the night club? Are you patient enough to listen to someone’s problems? Quick to judge and find fault in other people and in everything?

You need to literally turn the other cheek when you receive a slap; accepting that you are wrong and saying sorry should never be a big deal.

Envy, jealousy, pride, un-forgiveness and many more are sending people faster to hell; like I always say to people, fornication is not the only sin and it is definitely not the worst sin, sin is sin and as a matter of fact, an unrepentant proud virgin could share a bunk in hell with a kpum on Allen Avenue who dies without repentance.

While you go about talking to anyone who cares to listen that Amaka is a thief, just remember that gossip is a vice that will make you miss heaven.

Avarice, gluttony, anger, selfishness, self righteousness and self will are all vices to be wary of. Talking about self will, who would have thought that jumping into a venture or taking decisions without first seeking God’s consent was dangerous? (hmm..God help us)

Sitting in church with my sons, it was almost time for Holy Communion and I told the one that sat closest to me to tell his brothers to get ready, they passed a message to me that they had not gone for confession.

Thinking of the teachings of my catechism, I believed that they couldn’t have committed any mortal sin which would prevent them from receiving the body of Christ. Sarcastically, I sent a message back to them asking if they committed fornication and they sent the most shocking response back to me, “mummy, hope you know that when you look at someone lustfully, you have already committed fornication”. I was shocked to my bone marrows and my response was, “ So you looked at someone lustfully?If I slap you eh?!!” “Mummy we are just saying, not like we looked at anyone lustfully”(Hey! I pray so oh!). Of course they marched behind me as we went to the altar.

So if you are not into women but have worshipped at their sanctuary in the bed of your mind, my brother, lust is part of it. Now someone may say it is better to just do the main thing if it is the same punishment and I tell you that is easier to give up lust than the other.

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control, these are the fruits of the Holy Spirit and stamps that a true Christian must carry. Gather all of them; love as much as you can, give all you can, your time, talent and treasure. With these you have your one way ticket to heaven.

Are you thinking of heaven at all? Before heaven or hell, death must occur and it can happen at any time, even now. Someone said to me that I have been talking about death and asked if I was sending a signal.

I really hope that I am not sending any signal, I have a lot to still do here and I hope God allows me many more years; whenever it happens, I just want to be in a state of grace!

This post is not to scare anyone but to encourage us that making heaven is still possible!

Check out a list of vices, you will be amazed

http://writeworld.tumblr.com/viceslist