Many people now habitually lift quotes from the scripture or other sources to post on the social media. The people who post make the readers believe that they are also doers of their words, not knowing that it could even be a scam to hoodwink others.
When you look closely you will be shocked to discover that these people are very deficient in proper handling of human relationships while they specialize in sending out Bible verses which are always comforting to various situational challenges and arrest attentions on a daily basis.
Interestingly, the Holy Book teaches that agape love and good relationship with one another are paramount in everyday living. It saddens that people defy God’s simple instructions, disobey rules and regulations from authorities and manifest no understanding of the same scriptural verses they post. As far as their fingers are fast to copy beautiful quotes from one platform and post on another, their poor conduct while relating with others does not matter much to them. This habit could be compared to a Christian mother who often starves her husband sexually and in other ways, but would be the first to get to church and seat piously at the front pew in orthodox churches while their Pentecostal like-minds would be the first to shout out alleluia on top of their voices. This group of people will still be the first to connect to various online services of churches and click on the share button to spread the good news and enthrall others, yet they will not treat people around them right.
People of God, know it that it is a devilish act and pretentious attitude to treat people badly while quoting the scriptures to clothe yourself with a garb of holiness. It is said that charity begins at home.
Imagine a situation where a rich person wrongly encroaches into the land of a poor person and uses his police and his government connections to claim ownership. The same person will come before the public to talk about his charity works and other philanthropic donations in support of various causes. The world will be a better place without such pretenders. A story was told of a stepmother who burnt her stepson’s WASSCE result because her own son did not excel in the said examination. Her evil plan was to present the two boys as dullards to her husband. But unfortunately, for her, the result was also pasted on the school black board for all to see. Her husband who knew the abilities of both boys walked to the school and got the correct information. At home, hell was let loose. He called his wife ‘enemy of progress’. A woman in this type of attitude, should she be quoting and posting scriptural verses while she conceives wickedness in heart? She chose to maltreat her stepson because his own mother had died and wanted her own children to rise above the late co-wife’s children.
Now, accomplished men and women who abandon their family needs, but go out to act as philanthropists of a sort, you are in the category of people who quote scriptural verses but treat people shabbily.
A tribalistic Chief Medical Director (CMD) of a federal hospital in a certain state, who claims to be a Christian, loved to quote scriptures every morning but treated people badly. An opportunity came for federal hospitals to send doctors for special training on a major gynaecological problem. All favourite candidates of the CMD in that department were not qualified and the only qualified candidate was outside his preference. What next? CMD began to scout for attendees from other neighboring states and could not find one. It got so delayed that the organizers of the international training alerted the Commissioner of Health that his state was going to miss out of the training because no one had indicated interest in the international training from his state. Commissioner drove down to the hospital to find out why. He directed that the qualified gynaecologist be registered for the training. That was how the gynaecologist got the opportunity to go for the training in United States. But this same CMD would be the first to quote scriptural verses on the university platform every morning while treating people around him poorly.
This same ugly practice of quoting scriptures was the reason my neighbour stopped his wife’s job inappropriately. Mr. Felix Joseph was a successful and financially solid personal assistant to the managing director of a giant food processing company. Meanwhile, his wife was an administrative staff in another competitive food industry. They met in the course of pursuing their careers in the industry and then wedded. Now, as a couple with a toddler child, Madam was showing terrible attitude to the housegirl, yet would leave the child in her care. As soon as she went off to work, the housegirl would turn the child into a punching bag and no one noticed until the little child was diagnosed of internal haemorrhage and later died. The wife did not notice her boy’s poor condition and hurriedly left. It was the same servant who raised alarm when the boy became so weak and was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead. Tracing the incidents with the confession of the housegirl, Felix found his wife wanting and as punishment demanded for her resignation. This was the same woman who would “electrify” social media platforms with scriptural posts.
A fellow who talks down on others, ridicules, mocks and makes them have low esteem in life, but would be fast to spread scriptural quotes on a daily basis, of what use is that? I admire my friend, Mrs. Osarieme Oniyide, who is not a firebrand church goer and does not post bible quotes on platforms, but has a large heart. She would readily accommodate stranded ladies seeking comfort and a place to restart living. Oniyide was married but made her home a heavenly abode for few strangers she came across. She trained housegirls who passed through her home up to tertiary level. It was always a pleasure for a naive girl from the village to come near her because, for sure, the fellow would be equipped and empowered for life. She is a living testimony of treating others right without making scriptural posts on platforms.
In the marketplace, you find traders who quote scripture but use false measures to sell rice, beans, garri, etc. Other traders try to pass off fake goods as “original” at the price of the quality item.
In the same vein, scripture quoting pastors, who make long, earthshaking prayers but exploit and have carnal knowledge of young girls in his church are devil’s incarnates. They are in the same category with pastors who are jealous and bitter over fellow pastors anointing and the love showered on them by members. Also, in the same category are pastors who have used fake prophecies to destroy homes, families and communities, yet turn around to make interesting posts and treat people around him wrongly.
Uniformed personnel who are empowered to safeguard the borders, but would rather look the other way and allow illegal arms and ammunition, textile materials and all manner of contraband items to get into the country are doing a lot of disservice to the nation.
The government whose primary responsibility is to protect lives and properties of its citizen. Do when officials charged with this responsibility look the other way while the citizens are hacked to death at any given opportunity, are they treating their people well? These same people are quick to post scripture and pontificate on social media.
Management of various organizations, including authorities who promote staff based on office romance, yet would be fast in sharing scriptural quotes, know it that you are not treating people well.
Dear Nigerians, let us at all times be conscious of the need to treat people around us right. It is better than posting scriptural quotes every morning. Treating people right does not only mean doling out money but includes a sincere compliment, living a transparent Christian life, speaking kind words, showing appreciation, giving good advice, pat on the back, financial support, truthfulness, support for one another, being a worthy ambassador and supporting others to establish, among other positive things. All these are various forms of treating people right instead of being a hidden demon who shares bible quotes every morning.