When im papa and mama see am, dem surprise well-well, and im mama tell am, “My Pikin, why you do us like this? Your papa and me don dey find you with plenty worry for our heart.” And e tell dem, “Why una dey find me? Una no know say I must dey my Papa house?” But dem no understand wetin e tell dem. E follow dem go down to Nazareth, and e dey obey dem; and im mama keep all these things for her heart. Luke 2:48-51
As our Mama wey God bless stand for the foot of the Cross, e fit be say she remember that time when Jesus, wey be twelve years old, remain for Jerusalem for three days. Our Mama wey God bless and Saint Joseph return to Jerusalem and search for Jesus with all their mind. At last, dem find Am for the temple with the teachers and religious leaders.
For that time, as Jesus wey still be Pikin dey among the teachers of Israel, wetin dem see for Im body really impress dem. E ask dem deep questions wey make dem think well, and E show wisdom wey pass Im age. Scripture talk say “everybody wey hear Am dey wonder well-well at how E understand things and the answers wey E give” (Luke 2:47). But sadly, just twenty years later, our Mama wey God don bless watch as these same leaders for religion dey question her Son again and again. During those three years wey E do Im ministry for public, our Mama wey God don bless see say the leaders for religion don turn against her Son. Dem dey find how to trap Am, accuse Am and make people doubt Im deep wisdom. See the kind change wey those years bring! Wetin dem find interesting when na twelve-year-old pikin talk am, dem come see am as threat when na thirty-year-old man talk am. Now, jealousy and envy don enter the leaders for religion. And na mainly because of this new wickedness for their heart she dey stand before her Son wey dem nail to the cross, dey look Am as E offer Im human life as sacrifice.
For our own life, we fit find out say people dey turn against us as we dey draw closer to our Lord and our Mama wey God don bless. Make we no expect treatment wey better pass the one wey Jesus receive. Sometimes, people wey be our friends before go turn to the people wey dey persecute us pass.
Today, think deep about any experience wey you don get with people wey turn against you or betray you because of your faith in Jesus. Even though no be everybody dey experience this thing reach the way our Lord experience am, when e happen, e fit bring confusion, pain, anger and even loss of hope. As our Mama wey God don bless dey watch the cruel things wey dem dey do her Son, she go don forgive those leaders for religion wey treat Am like this. She go don show dem mercy and pray for dem even as she herself dey suffer. God dey call us to do the same, as we dey follow the example of our Lord and our Mama wey God don bless.
My dear Mama wey God don bless, when Jesus still be small Pikin, you wonder at how the leaders for religion for the temple react as dem dey listen to Am and Im wisdom dey amaze dem. You still see those same leaders turn against your Son during Im ministry for public. You watch as their love for Am turn to deep hatred, and their amazement turn to jealousy.
My dear Mama, when I try to be instrument wey your Son go use and to speak Im words of wisdom, no be everybody dey accept these words. Pray for me make I fit always forgive, and accept am when people misunderstand me or laugh me, with the same faith and hope wey you get as you stand before the Cross.
Precious Lord Jesus, You no ever stop to proclaim Your perfect wisdom and love to the world. Even though plenty people accept Your words, plenty people no accept them. Help me know say You dey call me to follow Your footsteps. Help me make persecution wey I or another person dey face no ever make me stumble for faith or shake me. Keep me faithful to You and faithful as I dey proclaim Your holy Word.
Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Day 14 – “Do Wetin E Tell Una”
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