THEY MATTER

Our eyes met briefly and I quickly averted mine because I couldn’t stand the waves of disgust that radiated from Temi’s eyes towards me. As I hurried past, I could feel his eyes boring my back from across the road. Was it my fault that he didn’t see any sense in becoming born again?

 Then he called my name. But I wouldn’t turn around. The animosity that had grown between us in the past two weeks, since I had found Christ was ripe enough to spark a tribal conflict. So I hastened my steps, knowing he would soon cross the road and try to snuff out the distance between us. 

Just three weeks ago, Temi was a great friend… back when we ran short cyber scams together.

Then Christ found me and Temi refused to be found. I tried introducing Christ to him, but he repeatedly asserted that this “born again crap” was a long term scam by pastors. So I let him be.

Until today, I hadn’t seen him in about a week despite the fact that we lived on the same street. You are right; I was avoiding him for my own sake. Hanging out with my past wasn’t healthy for my present. I even ceased praying for him because I felt he ridiculed my God every time we talked. 

Then I heard tired screeching, people screaming and metal crush bone. All the sounds were coming from behind me. They were very close. I hopped over the gutter to safety before turning to see what caused the commotion. 

Twenty meters from me, a danfo bus lay smoking, its fender and front windscreen thrust inwards by a cement mixer. The accident was close to a construction site. The screaming onlookers were not concerned about the state of the bus. Several hands were trying to drag a lifeless body from under the mangled danfo. The head was under the right front tire. The body wore the same clothes that Temi wore and my heart failed. 

I couldn’t breathe because my system had transitioned into involuntary shut down… As I had predicted, Temi was crossing over to meet me and had met the unplanned journey to eternity. Thank God I am born again… 

Who am I kidding? That guy just missed heaven because I wouldn’t be more persistent… because I was trying to protect my Christianity by avoiding his negative influence… Perhaps if I had spent more time in prayer for him, I would have reached Him. I was the only one who could have reached him… Who knows if he was destined to be the next Billy Graham?

Don’t bother about my name; all that matters is that someone who could have been a great vessel now wallows in eternity because I didn’t persist! Who has been placed around you that only you can reach? Time is ticking…

Don’t be so concerned about your Christianity that your neglect the ones that matter… the lost ones