We were told that safety lies in the multitude of counsel by counsellors, but mine wasn’t as stated as I curdled into the arms of a ravenous wolf.
I had lost my path with God despite being in the church and doing a lot of service. I was bothered, yeah bothered about my state because deep inside of me was love for God but I was helpless. My religious leaders were unaware of my spiritual state. I still counsel young ones, lead in worship sessions and the glory of God still came down. The fact that I still performed in the church and nothing denoted my decayed state to the leaders troubled my mind the more. Many times I cried, looked at myself in the mirror, detested myself but nothing changed. All I desired to do, I did the contrary and all I never wanted to do I found myself immersed in them. This I knew was obviously the power of sin working in me and I had become so entangled. ‘Nothing will be able to break these fetters holding you bound except you speak out’. Did my heart just spell out those words? Oh no! How can that be possible, what about my image? Moving on just like every other person on the street, I could perceive my own foul odor which no one else could. I knew I was a living dead having done so many dirty and nasty things under the cloak of a vibrant church worker.
On a good or rather cursed day, I ran into his profile on social media and followed him for quite a long time. He showed passion for the young, strayed and discouraged. He preached peace like the Messiah himself and there were many testimonies from his followers. A lot wrote about how they were delivered from addiction and slavery to sin. And of course I was helplessly addicted and needed some strong hand to get me out of it. I battled with my mind severally if I could trust him and share this unknown part of my life that has been hidden for years. It was like an airplane that had reached its destination but unable to land. I kept floating in the ocean of indecision until after a very convincing sermon I listened to on the television was able to do the magic of changing my mind. “I’ll meet him so I can secure my deliverance and love the Lord unhindered.
I wrote to him, and he was a huge source of encouragement to me all along. I felt so safe and sure. He prayed for and with me, sent me bible verses, prayer lines and invited me to many programs he held. He became my mentor and I could tell him anything and listened to whatever he said to me. Several months of interaction and bonding passed then he invited me over to his place which I never thought wrong in any sense. Wow! I would visit my mentor the first time. I was filled with so much excitement and expectations. I daydreamt of the expected growth I should experience after that visit.
Oh yeah, I visited but astonied as I left. My mentor lured me to his bed and threw me right into the pit he was supposed to get me out from. He told me that God knows our frame as humans having flesh and blood and so it was impossible to deny ourselves pleasure. Why then do I have to come this far if this be the case? But his statement was contrary to what his social media platforms say about him. At this juncture I was left in the middle of nowhere.
I went home devastated than I was before the appointment. It was better wallowing in misery than to have a crumpled hope. He wrote to me and apologized. In his statement, it was the devil’s handiwork. He promised it won’t happen again. I took up hope but yeah it happened three times more. After the third time, I saw his ministrations live on social media right from the bed of immorality. Did he perform miracles? Yeah.
After pondering deeply, I realized that my mentor was in dire need more than myself. He was a wolf but hid under the sheep cloak. Oh the poor sheep he must have led to the slaughter! I wept bitterly. Rather than solace and strength to rise, I fell and lost strength and courage to rise. Who then is the true shepherd seeking the lost sheep to lead to pastures green?
Where is the place of true mentorship? When men had the interest of their mentee at heart and not seeking fleshly gratification and selfish interests.
Lesson:
- Dear Christian on this pilgrim journey, this is personally for you. You must understand that the man of God is still the son of man. Never make the mistake of thinking he no longer carries flesh and blood, therefore, treat him as one. You must continuously focus on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our Faith.
- Dear mentor, if you fail this generation looking up to you, God will not fail to render due judgement. He will surely requite.
- You are supposed to feed the sheep not to devour them for you must inevitably give account of every soul (Ezekiel 34:10).
- Not everything appears the way they are on social media, be aware of this.
