“THAT IS NOT THE TEMI I KNOW”
During my university days, a dear brother met one of the young ladies who was a friend of mine (those undefined friendships) and asked her if she was not going to Pastor’s house (my parents were pastors). She first responded by telling him that no one was around except Dad and Mum. He then mentioned that “Temi is back now”. She told him, “The Temi that came back is not the Temi that I know”.
(I had my fair share of actions I was not proud of as a teenager. But I had an encounter on campus that changed everything about me- addictions dropped off, lustful desires and actions perished and I caught the flame of the Holy Spirit. There was a significant change in my life).
If you know the days when songs like, “I Enter the Holy of Holies” and amazing worship songs by Michael W. Smith were hitting the airwaves, Yes! It was those songs that stirred my hunger for prayer and the Lord in me. I would plug in the Walkman and worship all through the day.
Beloved, one proof that a man has met with Jesus Christ is that there is a change in his life. If you met Jesus Christ and your life remained the same, something is not right.
There was a woman who would sneak to the well to fetch at an odd hour when she would meet no one there. She was living a life she was not proud of. She was a serial adulterer. She has tasted five shades of men. She even had a new guy now. She met Jesus at the well and everything changed. She became so bold that she brought the city to Jesus. Joy hit her heart. Fear disappeared. She could face her future with fresh gusto.
There was a man who was notorious for kickbacks and overcharging people. He was a government official in charge of taxes. Jesus did not even speak to him about returning what he stole. Just one dinner with Jesus and he pledged to return four-folds to anyone he has stolen from.
There was a man who came into the city as the soldiers were leading Jesus Christ out to be crucified. They forced him to help Jesus Christ with the cross. The moment he carried the cross, his direction changed. He was heading towards the city now he has to follow Jesus all the way. He abandoned his own plans.
That singular honour is a picture for us till date- if you ever met the Lord, your direction must change. What will likely change?
There will be a change in values. A man who has met Christ has Christ-branded and Christ-endorsed values. If it has no Christ in it, a man in Christ will not be found with it.
Definitely, you cannot doubt that Paul met Christ. The man who was a murderer had a total shift. He left us volumes of counsel admonishing us about our values:
But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
Ephesians 4:20-24 MSG
I grew up every day seeing an artwork at home that says: “If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to prove it?”
Do you have proof that you are a believer? Or it is just in your heart? Can you buy or eat an orange that has a sign of rottenness outside? No! Will you buy a product that will expire tomorrow? No! Think about this and work on your values. Does an expired product show the true state of its manufacturer? Are you a true representative of Christ?
temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa.