Word of the week
Proverbs 23:18 says, ‘For surely there is an end and thine expectation shall not be cut off.’
There is an end, so tread carefully.
You snatched someone else’s husband or wife. There is an end
You cheated on your wife or husband. There is an end
You’re involved in exam malpractices. Remember there is an end.
You parked government money into your account while those that need it are languishing. There is an end.
There is nothing like going scot free in this life.
I pray that when God opens the record of your life, you will get a reward and not a rebuke in Jesus Name.
Message of the week
Proverbs 12:18 KJV says, ‘There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword but the tongue of the wise is health.’
The NLT version says, ‘Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.’
Let me tell you a short story. I was in the city of Ibadan in 2019 and I was staying with a friend. One day, my friend told me she was out to see her father-in-law who was celebrating his 88th birthday that day. I asked her to say hello to him. After she left the house, I thought to myself, ‘Hang on, I should send some money to the elderly gentleman’. So, I called my friend to please give her father-in-law a small token on my behalf and I would give her the money back.
A few minutes after, my phone rang and it was the elderly gentleman. After identifying myself, he said to me, ‘I want to thank you ma for the money you sent to me.’ I was taken aback because in the Yoruba tribe of Western Nigeria, you only use the word ‘ma’ to address elderly ladies. Though I tried to redirect my friend’s dad-in-law, he refused to stop calling me ‘ma’.
After I dropped the phone, I pondered over the conversation and the Lord ministered to me that part of the secret of the longevity of the old man was the respect with which he addresses others.
We are talking genuine respect here not the fake one people give you because they have an ulterior motive. Genuinely honouring and respecting others is what we are talking about here.
One of the ways to know a person that is genuinely respectful is through their words and actions.
I may not know you but your words and actions will tell me who you are.
The disrespectful talk carelessly. Their words wound and maim others.
Lack of respect is a sign that something is wrong with someone.
Another downside to being disrespectful is that respectful people will move away from your circle.
Respectful people are usually decent, honourable and prosperous.
An example is Abraham, the father of faith. Check the Bible very well. You will not see a single occasion where he was rude and disrespectful to anybody. No wonder God called Abraham His friend.
You may not be perfect, but if you respect others, you will be alright in the end.
Respect makes you to dwell in peace with others.
Respect gives you power.
The Trinity is very powerful because they respect one another. There is mutual respect between God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Respect costs you nothing but it will earn you many good things, longevity being one of them as shown in my friend’s father-in-law.
