by *Opeyeoluwa Lawal
Service was over in Dominion Methodist Church. Members left the church through different exits. The Western door most importantly. It was the biggest exit. The Pastor greeted some of the church members as the left. Church members sat in groups discussing and exchanging pleasantries.
Some members sat in clusters. Like they were having meetings. Some groups had one or two members addressing them.
The discussions were not left to those in the church auditorium alone. Three ushers in the counting room count and discuss.
Usher 1: So this is the amount that she can drop as tithe. Some people will not make heaven o.
Usher 2: Lemme see…How much did she drop?
Usher 1: Thirty thousand o.
She shows her the cheque of N30,000.
Usher 2: Ehn ehn…with all those pictures from dubai. So its only 300,000 she got there. O ga o. A trip to Dubai costs nothing less than 500k. So, does this mean she spent over 500k to get 300k?
Usher 1: That one na lie. When the money is not clean. She knows she can’t deceive God. Maybe she gave a tithe of the clean one.
Usher 2: Ha. She cannot deceive me too o. I saw all the pictures.
Usher 3: Hmmm. Steward Sade. What is your business o? Are you God? It’s between she and God na.
Usher 1(steward Sade): No o. Dont tell me that one o. The Bible says God cannot be mocked.
Usher 3: So, are you fighting for Him? You’re now God defender?
Usher 2: God defender? How? We can judge. Paul said it. What’s that Bible passage again o?
Usher 1: That’s it. When someone is not paying correct tithe, you you’re saying rubbish here. Did God not say one tenth? Is this one tenth?
Usher 3: Chief judges. May God have mercy on you both.
Usher 2: Even you too. Look, in case you don’t know, which you know sef, I pay my tithe regularly, nothing missing.
Usher 1: plus, it’s a clean source of income. Some of us don’t sell our bodies to make money.
Usher 3: My God! How do you know all these? And that’s what will take you to heaven abi?
Usher 1 (steward Sade): of course. The Bible says , God will open the windows of heaven. So, heaven is assured for us.
Usher 3: Your mates want to go through door, you, you want to go through window.
Usher 2: Is it your window? To make heaven is the koko. We are obedient children of our father.
Usher 3: And you think this your gossip, spite and judgemental attitude does not matter? You pay tithe, yet you backbite and you think that window will open?
Usher 1: please, what is your own sef? We were talking and you came to meddle. Are you not a sinner too?
Usher 2: We are all sinners o, my sister.
Usher 3: It is well. I think you guys should repent. You Know I am saying the truth. Admit and repent. You have been given this assignment as a privilege, not for you to monitor people’s income and tithes. Or if the moment they’re giving to God is clean or not. You’re a royal steward. So, you shouldn’t take it for granted. I’ll be on my way now. See you guys next Sunday.
Both ushers remain quiet, pensive. Of course, they knew she was right. They knew she spoke from the word of God.
Don’t take your graces for granted.
Do you think the two ushers did anything wrong?
Are you a modern day Pharisee?
What grace has God given to you that you have taken for God?
What grace have you played god with?
Written by Opeyeoluwa Lawal.
OPEYEOLUWA is a Christian writer who has been called to wrote to encourage people in times of weariness according to Isaiah 50:4. Ope, as she is fondly called loves God and His works. She loves to teach and she researches during her spare time. She is married to Olawale Perfect.
Follow ope on IG : @opestarlawal
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Twitter: @opeyeoluwalawal
Enjoy and leave your feedback and lessons. God bless you.
image credit: CultureWatch