The Case of the Specific Need as earlier indicated is not fictitious. Nor is it meant to be a riddle you need to solve to win a point. Rather, it is a point that needs to be made. Which is why I promised to give you the ‘interpretation’ in this edition. I believe it is only correct and fair for me to do so since our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself, the Great Parable teller, often did so, especially to a group that can be referred to as His Inner circle — like you who are reading this are to me. So here goes.
The village in the parable is the district or region or parish of a church denomination — yours, mine, theirs… if you are one of those who take special joy in deriding Christians and church-goers. Just remember. They will account to God eventually. As will you….
- The village chief is the pastor of Church district or region or parish or whatever you like to call it.
- The ordinary inhabitant is an ordinary member of the same church
- The possessor of the specific need is another ordinary but highly placed or influential member of the same church who, by virtue of his job, profession or status, has some authority or privileges under his control in the secular world.
The specific need, could be a job vacancy, school admission opportunity, or access to a scholarship etc. And I am now giving you a first-hand account of the real life event that inspired this. It started like this.
Two Christian friends were chatting. We shall refer to them as sisters and brothers henceforth, being the preferred terms among church people… Please feel free to squirm or smirk. The choice is yours.
Their conversation led to one expressing her displeasure, not to say anger, at how a beloved brother had treated her. You see, she happened to be the highly-placed and influential possessor of this particular specific need. She held a high position in a public service department which, according to her, entitled her to what is referred to as spot ‘allocation’ to an educational institution.
Now, this concept of ‘allocation’ was completely new to me at the time. However, I soon came to discover that I was the one behind times as yet another beloved brother tried to persuade me, when I challenged the principle, that it was legitimate. Since then it has come up often in the media as the demand made on public institutions by politicians. Never mind that a couple of years later, a whistle blower in the human resources of this brother’s office eventually leaked to the press, the fact that the cushy jobs were surreptitiously given to big men’s children… and what a scandal it caused! And one can imagine why, in a country with a very high unemployment rate.
And never mind that this was in the secular world where it could end up in court. The way out was therefore to review the employment exercise, or at least, so we hear. Meanwhile, the high-ranking whistle-blowing officer who headed that department was moved to another one… though no one made much waves about that detail. As can be expected of human beings, your reaction will depend on which side of the ‘divide’ you belong. That too is allowed.
The question now is: should we expect same, or even less from the Church? Of course not! But it would have to start with the renewing of the mind tha Apostle Paul pleaded with us to seek in chpter 12 of his letter to the Romans. My point? Perhaps this kind of thing would be more forcefully addressed in the church if those involved were even aware of the implications of their act, or gave a damn if they did. Unfortunately, that is not the impression I get.
But even if they did, as is undeniable with the many cases of past and present immorality and abuse being exposed within Christendom today, the latest of which Ravi Zacharias, depresses me today. No, I don’t think I read any of his book or ever heard him preach before he passed. But I do remember a WhatsApp clip of him addressing the UN and unashamedly defending his Christian belief . This impressed me not a little which is why I can remember his name.
It was actually his death that drew my attention to him as he was acclaimed a great Christian apologist. This made me actually listen to one of his supposed last messages and while I cannot quite recall the content, I saw nothing to condemn in it. Only for the rumours to start and after about a year, confirmed by his ministry!!
I fear, I tremble and I wonder… I am appalled at how the sins of the fathers, mothers, elders and leaders go unnoticed or undetected— or even covered up!!! And in nothing less than the church, the salt and light of the world!!! But then again, why should I wonder. Has it not often been the same? Bury your head in the sand. Grin and bear it; Touch not my anointed; keep the peace; stay united; forgive and forget; don’t cause division. Forbear with one another… until bitterness takes its deepest roots in the hearts of the abused and exploited and they run to the world for help. Then the world exposes the salt that has lost its ‘saltness’, and the hands of those who should have done something and saved many souls are forced by the world to do the right when there is nowhere else to hide! How the Head of the Church must be weeping at these atrocities, great and small, committed by the so-called ‘heads’ of His churches.
Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, Spirit of Wisdom, Spirit of Holiness and Righteousness, come and take Your place in Your Church!