Hi @alexanderpeace, it's my pleasure to enroll in this week contest. I would be glad to share a real life story here. Please do well to read and also drop your comments if there's any.
Never judge a book by its cover is a story of a boy called Firtue who was classified as a born again child of God due to his backgrounds, meanwhile, Firtue holds some secrets within him.
Let's read:
He was born with silver spoon. His parents are mall workers—selling various kinds of Agricultural products and also importing. They got married 2005, and gave birth to him and two girls, which happen to be pursuing a nursing courses in two different Nigeria Universities. He is studying political science in University of Port Harcourt (200 level).
He walks into a boom-hacking ministry one fateful evening and heard the pastor saying “Jesus is the way, the truths and the life”, he didn't understand until he requested for a seat at the back. It's been long he attended church programs like this, and no one seems genuine to convince him of his actions as a masturbator in school. Every students in the campus viewed him as a born again child of God, since his parents were committed members of the ministry.
His name is Firtue. Firtue listened to the pastor as he keep launching new scriptural references to backup his message. He listened carefully, and even unlock his phone to record some parts that were relevants to his experience. The message took 2 hours 30 minutes before the pastor summarizes, and ushered out for altar call. He didn't want to go out. There's this big voice crying inside him—seeming like the voice of a girl he raped when he was thirteen. He is guilty. His expresssion could barely breakout even though he wanted to privatized it.
Firtue finds his way to the altar, and joined other fifteen people, hoping and trusting God for a cleansing, as assured by the pastor. He was totally broken, tears dropping so profusely that nothing else could compel him to switchover. He was in for the game. “No turning back”, he muttered.
The pastor asked them to lay their right hand on their chest, and repeat after him whatever he says. He did exactly. “Congratulations”. Firtue opened his eyes to meet a beautiful Adamsa—his departmental girl. Both of them reads the same course. “Ah! Adamsa. What are you doing here?” Firtue imagined what would've brought her here. “This is my church. I noticed your presence few hours ago”, she explained. “So you've been enjoying all this alone! He pointed at the altar. “What?”, Adamsa couldn't understand his points, she had been in this church for years, no change. She is still a smoker, manizer, lesbian. And so she asked in haste. “I mean the Salvation message”, firtue responded. “Hmmmmm! In pretense she added, Yes sooo”. “What happened to the message?”, she asked. “I receive Christ from this message”, fitue said.
“Stop playing pranks with me”, she dragged him to the extreme. “I thought you were born again?”, she unveiled her visualization. “Thank God you thought, Firtue responded. “I was never born again. I was leaving under my parents umbrella”. My parents were my coach and that's why I couldn't deviate, so when I attempt to backslide or switch into sin, their advise will redirects my steps. Firtue confessed purely. “It's now I'm hearing this.... Adamsa knelt before him and requested for forgiveness. Ofcourse he forgave her. And the discussion continued.....
For me, it's good for parents to set examples for children to follow, like in the case of Firtue. But what matters most, is personal encounter. Nobody would ever believe that Firtue would be of such sort, even if you could render millions evidence. His practices of masturbations is privatized—only in his home where no one watches him. A message on Salvation turned Firtue to Christ. If peradventure rapture takes place immediately, Firtue is capable of making heaven.
So, I learnt never to judge the book by its cover.
I invite @bossj23, @basil20 and @eglis to participate in this contest.