A young man joined us for Bible Study in the Church one evening like that. I was glad to receive him, because I thought, for him to come for Bible Study, he must have some level of seriousness. After the service, he walked up to me and told me how a Senior Pastor in RCCG led him to Christ and told him to join RCCG Church close to his house. His testimony really impressed me and I completely believe. The Pastor promised to assist him and has started doing that. This young man seeing the generosity of the ‘angel pastor’, decided to take advantage of him. So he ‘scammed’ the pastor multiple times. He turned him to ATM. When the man of God became suspicious, he asked him to go and join RCCG parish and will be sending money to him through the Parish. Unfortunately for him he came to my parish and under my watch. Because, he will have to tell me his needs and I will ratify it after which I will relate it the the ‘angel pastor.’ Under one week, he demanded money for hospital bills, house rent and a new motorcycle he had collected to ‘higher purchase.’ He believed that angel pastor must do all these for him. He would call me several times to mount pressure on ‘angel pastor.’ Knowing that my responsibility as a pastor is to protect the interest of ‘angel pastor’ who I have never met, I told him categorically on phone that the young man is a fraud, a user and someone who just want to take advantage of his kind heart. When the young man got to know that I was not ‘flowing’ with his intention he fought me on phone and left the church after two weeks.
Users always take advantage of people’s generosity, simplicity, love and faith. They are ungrateful, exploitative and have entitlement mentality. They see their problems as your sole responsibility. They are selfish and don’t care about you. The way parasites don’t care whether the host live or die, that’s the way users operate. The rich-users, poor-users, boss-users and servant users all have the same DNA – greed and selfishness. They are the type that only reach out to you when the have needs and once you help out, bye they go until they have another need. There are users in relationship, Church and work environment and within family.
Supporting and sponsoring users, is financing selfishness and greed. It’s good to allow users know that they are one. Look for people with good heart and support them instead of been used. A users is selfish and greedy. John Thornton described succinctly when he wrote; “ A selfish man is a swamp that sucks in all and gives back nothing.”
You must live by the instruction of scriptures by aligning with 1Corithians 10:24 “Let no man seek his own, but every man anther’s wealth.”
Today, let love and selflessness lead you.
Remember not to sponsor selfishness, greed and stupidity. Learn the art of using ‘YES’ and ‘NO’ appropriately.
I am Pst Femi Ajayi