FAITHFUL AND HONEST

 2 Corinthians 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men.

Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Recently, news that truck drivers employed by multinational Group have been involved in massive stealing of the company’s truck tires, amounting to millions. So sad. Why? The reason is not farfetched. This company is one of the largest employers of labor, keeping food on the tables of a majority of the hitherto unemployed, thus reducing the unemployment saga of our time. One of the endemic problem we have as a people is the problem of stealing. Theft, not by the people outside, but by employees of companies, organizations, a place where they earn their livelihood. They often steal with impunity even small stuff that is not worth the soiling of one’s name. The story, sad enough, is not different in government parastatals; even worse scenario occurs there as nobody seems to care. Workers at NGOs and orphanage homes indulge in it with glee and delight. Donations of materials like clothes, blankets, shoes and even food items often find their way to the homes of these workers or volunteers. No qualms whosoever. There are some NGOs who have no physical address and whatever they get only goes to line their pockets! What beats one’s consternation is those who engage in these are professed Christians. We take our faith seriously and you can see this whenever the times of worship, like Sundays and Fridays, comes around. Alas! when preaching and teachings, whether in mosque or churches, do not transform lives, then our religion or, better still, our faith is in vain. I know few investors from other country who tested the Nigeria terrain only to regret it because of indolence, lackadaisical attitude to work, indifference to our responsibilities at workplace, lack of commitment on our part and diligence when we are on our job. Eye service is the order of the day yet, I know the Christian faith frowns at such an attitude. Rather, we are admonished to do our job well. With or without supervision or be it in the company of coworkers ‘ 

Ephesians 6:5-7 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men’:
The word faithfulness is not an everyday word in our conversation. It is like the word, ‘joy’ which, though, is powerful, but not in everyday usage like ‘happiness. Faithfulness is in twofold. We do have God’s faithfulness as the ultimate and the embodiment of what it is to be Faithfull. Then those who are Christians are demanded of Him to be faithful. Therefore, faithfulness in our part is a demand from God. see 

1 Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is he that called you, who also will do it. God has called us out from Darkness as depicts ignorance, ungodliness, wickedness, theft and other evil works. Christianity is a calling out from the corruption in the world. If you have not experienced this calling, then your faith is still not where God expects it to be. Sadly enough, many bible- clutching- church goers are still not where God wants them to be. God has equally called us out of darkness as represented by household gods, familiar spirit both from our paternal and maternal sides. He has promised not to lead us halfway or abandon us if we do his will in all ramifications of life. I, for one, have tested this. I am a living proof of God’s faithfulness. I do not talk about what I have not experienced. Since 1981, while still a youth, I have encountered this power that can change lives.Let me throw more light on His faithfulness. See the book of 

Deuteronomy 7:7-9 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye 

Were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he 

Is God, the faithful God, which kept covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations. The second meaning of faithfulness is God’s expectation from us. To be faithful to Him and faithful in whatever we do. God, our creator, expects us to be faithful, and we see this in the first greetings to believers in heaven according to Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. It behooves us, therefore, to be faithful in all our undertaking; first as Christians or Moslem, and then as good employees and as good citizens. When we as a religious people allow our piety and doctrines to show in our dwelling place and place of work, when we show it in our conversation with others it will only permeates lives and affect people, and the society at large will be the better for it. The nation will be better for it as it will be on the lips of every visitors, tourists and temporary residences. These will be the ones to take the new image abroad and will announce it to potential investors, visitors. The bible says in 

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. It is high time, will carry out a fight against corruption, fight against theft, fight against indolence and, of course, covetous and get rich quick which have eaten deep into the fabric of our society. The best way to lauder the image of our country abroad starts, from within us as individuals. I leave you with this injunction: Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.

Maranatha!