Sunday 24th April 2022 Devotion
Scripture:- Luke 10:25-37
Topic:- Humanity Over Religion
“Good morning sir.” He stuttered while greeting the man he saw sitting on the Church premises.
“Yes, good morning. How may I help you.” He asked as he scanned his head to toe.”
“I am Olakunle sir, I saw the sign outside saying there’s an opening for the job of a Security Guard.”
“Ehe.” He replied still looking at him disdainfully.
“I was thinking sir if I can be given the job.”
“Hmmm! Really?”
“Forget my looks sir, I can do the job. I am a graduate from the University of Maiduguri, I have a B.Sc in Chemical Engineering.”
“All that isn’t necessary. Are you a Christian?” He asked.
“Yes sir.”
“Are you a member of this Church?”
“No sir, but I am a good Christian and I go to church regularly.”
“That alone has disqualified you, I don’t think you will be given the job.”
“Please sir, I really need this job. Please help me.”
“That is not my decision to make, the Bishop has the final say.”
“Okay sir, please let me see him, I believe he will take pity on me and give me the job.”
“You are not a member of this Church, what makes you think he will take you?”
“Let me try my luck, sir. Please.”
“Well, no harm in trying. Come with me.”
Olakunle followed him to the Bishop’s office and asked him to sit down and wait, while he goes inside the Bishop’s office to speak with him.
While he waited, his wife kept flashing him. He sent her a text message;
“Ifemi, I will call you back, please. I am at a Job interview.”
After what seemed like forever, he was called into the Bishop’s office.
“Good morning sir.” He greeted as he bowed.
“You are welcome young man, have a sit.”
“Thank you, sir.” He said as he took his seat.”
“Joshua, my Secretary told me you are here for the Job of the Church’s Security Guard.”
“Yes sir, I am sir. I can do the job well sir, like I told him, I am a graduate sir, I have a second class upper division in Chemical Engineering from the prestigious University of Maiduguri.
Give me a trial sir, and you won’t regret it.”
“That’s interesting.” The Bishop said smiling.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Are you a born-again Christian?”
“I try my best Sir.”
“That does not answer my question. Do you have a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?”
“No sir. But I attend Church regularly.”
“Close your eyes, let me lead you to Christ.”
The Bishop prayed with him and preached the Bible with him for over thirty minutes.
During the sermon, his Phone kept ringing, but he kept rejecting it.
“You may have to take that call because I noticed that caller has been trying to reach you non-stop.” The Bishop said as he ended his sermon.
“It’s my wife, sir, I will call her later.”
“It’s fine, you can call her now.”
Olakunle called his wife back, as soon as she picked up, the sound of the children crying was loud in the background.
“Where are you Ifemi?” His wife asked.
“At the Church where I went to seek a Job.”
“Oh, it’s a Church? That’s good then, I know they will hire you.”
“You’ve been calling non-stop, and why are the children crying?”
“Ifemi, you know. We haven’t eaten since today. They are hungry. I soaked the last garri in the house for them but it’s not enough.
I have been drinking water myself since morning. Dayo has been complaining of stomach pain too, but I know it’s the hunger.
Please get us bread when coming back.”
“Ok, Ifemi. I will try. Bye.”
“I am sorry sir. That was my wife.”
“Oh, that’s fine. As pathetic as your situation is, I am sorry, we can’t hire you.”
“But why sir?”
“The opening is available strictly for Church members who have attended this Church for at least five years.
We can’t just employ non-members when we equally have members who need this job too.”
“Sir, I really need this job, if not for anything, to be able to put food on the table for my family sir. Please have mercy.”
“I can’t, that’s the Church’s policy. I am sorry, you may go now.”
Olakunle begged and begged but he was denied the job.
Joshua, the man he had met earlier, came to drag him out of the Bishop’s office.
On reaching outside, he pleaded with Joshua to at least help him with some noodles because he saw over fifty cartons of them packed close to the Church’s gate.
“Young man, that’s also for Church members, I can’t give you, please leave.”
“Okay, can I have some money please for transportation?”
Joshua dipped his hands in his pocket and handed him the #500 note.
“Please, you can go now.”
“Thank you, sir, God bless you, sir. This is more than enough. Thank you. Olakunle said as he left.”
He had #250 extra in his pocket, so in total, he had #750.
He decided to branch into a small market on his way home. He got two cups of rice, half a cup of beans, and other small ingredients.
This will at least last us tonight, tomorrow will take care of itself. He thought to himself.
He had nothing left on him for transportation, so he walked home. It was quite a distance to his house.
He decided to call his wife.
“Hello, Ifemi. Thank goodness you called. Dayo has been vomiting, he is crying profusely also.
I have gone to Tobi’s Chemist, but he refused to attend to us because of the money we are owing to him. I am confused.”
“I am on my way, rush him to the hospital near the house, I am coming.”
Olakunle began racing home, he tried crossing the road and didn’t see the oncoming vehicle, which almost knocked him down. It was a taxi driver.
“Oga, shey you no dey see ni?”
“I am sorry sir, I was lost in thought.” He said, crying as he tried to gather the rice and beans which poured in the coaltar.
The driver seeing that Olakunle was crying, took pity on him.”
“Oga, come. Come enter motor make I drop you where you dey go. Leave the rice and beans. Sand don enter am.”
“Olakunle jumped into the car on hearing that.”
“Why a grown-up man like you come dey cry for the road.”
“It’s a long story, sir, my son is at the hospital. Please, just take me there.”
The driver raced to the hospital. On reaching there, Olakunle saw his wife sitting at the reception crying, with Dayo almost lifeless in her arms.
“Ifemi, they refused to attend to us, because of money.”
It’s ok, Ifemi, don’t cry, he’ll be fine.”
“Don’t tell that Ola, our son is dying.”
“Calm down madam, how much are they asking you to deposit!” The driver asked.
“Fifteen thousand naira sir, where do they expect us to get that kind of money from?”
“I will be right back.” The driver said and went out.
He returned shortly with twenty-five thousand nairas and handed it to Olakunle.
“Please, make the necessary payments, so he can be attended to, this boy doesn’t look good at all.”
Olakunle, speechless, stood looking at the man, mouth wide open.
“Oga, go pay na.” He screamed at him.
Minutes later, Dayo was attended to. He was given drips and injections.
According to the Doctor, Dayo was suffering from serious malnutrition. He assured them that he’d be fine.
The driver excused himself and went outside.
He returned with three big nylon bags and handed them to Mrs. Olakunle.
“Here madam, please manage this.”
Inside were provisions, toiletries, beverages, bottled water, and food from the eatery.
She fell on her knees, crying and thanking him.”
“It’s nothing madam, please get up.”
Olakunle, came in with their second son Olamide, seeing what the driver had bought for them, laid flat on the ground thanking the man too.
He begged them to stop being dramatic.
“This is nothing, I am only doing what I ought to do, lend a helping hand to a fellow human. Please stop acting like I have done something extraordinary.”
The Driver was with them till evening, he begged to take his leave so he can get back to work.
They both thanked him very well, Olakunle decided to see him off to the car while his wife bade him farewell.
“Oga, what’s your name please.”
“Oh, I am Usman.”
“I am Olakunle, Thank you very much for today.”
“It’s nothing.” He dipped his hand in his pocket and gave him an extra ten thousand nairas.
“This should be enough to offset his remaining bills. But if it’s not enough, you have my number. Call me.
Olakunle was dumbfounded. Tears rolled from his eyes.
“But why sir?”
“Why what?” Usman asked surprised.
“Why are you helping me? You barely know me.”
“Because it’s the right thing to do,” Usman said laughing.
“Are you a Christian?”
“Why’s that important? Must I be a Christian or Muslim to help a fellow human being?
Forget that thing man. It’s “HUMANITY OVER RELIGION” for me. Take care, I gotta go.”
He zoomed off, while Olakunle stood there, crying profusely.
Wondered why a whole Church Bishop couldn’t help him, but an ordinary Taxi Driver who didn’t bother to ask him his religion, Church, or the even State of Origin.
” Ifemi, indeed, I have met an Angel today, in the form of a Taxi Driver.”
He said as he showed his wife the extra money Usman gave him.
Prayer Point:-
Oh Lord God, help me to help the helpless and assist the needy henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Happy Lord’s Day! www.timogundelejesu.com
