28 JUNE

WALK IN THE LIGHT (2)

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

(Matthew 5:16)

Below is an adapted story of two men in a hospital:

Two men, Ekene and Femi, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. Ekene was allowed to sit up in his bed for one hour daily to drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. Femi had to lie flat on his back all the time. They struck off a friendship as they had a lot in common. They talked for hours.

Every evening, during Ekene’s sit up time, he would describe in flowery and exciting terms, the world and the happenings he could see outside: the park with trees, flowers, frogs and birds; the lightening in the sky and the rainbow during the rains; the canal with sea weeds bringing out its lilac and purple flowers; fishes jumping in and out and the dredger that had been just parked there; joggers – some so fat they could hardly walk and some so slim they were just keeping fit; bicycle riders and hawkers, especially one young boy who sold off all his wares within the hour daily; some miscreants loitering around and sometimes fighting themselves; beggars – some with a piece of paper that may be a prescription to solicit for funds to buy the medicines.

Apart from the young hawker, the ones he loved the most were the children who came out to play on Sundays; young lovers seated under the trees whispering, and the elderly couples holding hands to support each other.

On the other side, someone preached and shared tracts with another playing the keyboard to attract people. Ekene would tell him what the preacher said word for word. Femi looked forward to these times as it built up his faith in Christ and he could vividly imagine the entire scenery each time. One beautiful day, Ekene described a very colourful parade in exquisite details with a band of heavenly music, which as usual, Femi strained his ears in vain to hear. In a short while the nurses came in to declare Ekene dead.

Although Femi grieved the loss of his friend, he asked to be moved to the bed by the window. With excitement he painfully propped himself up to see the world for himself. Alas, all he saw through the window was a blank wall. Puzzled he asked the nurse for explanations. The nurse responded that Ekene had become blind from his illness and could not even see the wall but he seemed to have an inner supernatural light and probably did so to encourage him.

ACTION:  Think and act in the light of Christ in you.

PRAYER: Lord, fill me with so much light and joy, such that my life will naturally bless others.