We’ve been through Jennifer’s journey of compassion for a poor family. As this comes to an end, let’s hope the executives are as compassionate to her…

It was late afternoon, and she was on her way to Heartbeat Temple for the follow-up meeting. She had spent the earlier part of the afternoon going to see her newly adopted family and finding out the necessary expenses she was going to have to foot from now onwards.

Now it was time to meet her people.

She sighed as she arrived at the good old parking lot. Looking at the cars around, she knew most of the executives were around, and she was in for quite a tough time.

Especially once she saw that familiar green Chevrolet Spark Lite. It meant Nathaniel was around.

His reaction over the phone when she called was anything but friendly. She hadn’t even gotten the chance to explain why she was absent; he was too livid over her no-show to listen to whatever she had to say.

Typical of him.

Fred was not wrong, he was quite the prim and proper kind of guy, as were most of the others. In love with sticking to the script. If so much as one thing was off detail, there would be trouble. And lots of it.

She took note of the Toyota Camry with the ER registration plate. Barbara was in too. Another stickler for sticking to the script.

She sighed as she got out of her car, locked it, and headed to the hall where the meeting was probably about to begin. Well, Fred did give me that heads-up. Chale, I’m in for quite a drilling. Lord, please soften their hearts. After all, it was Your will I carried out.

She arrived at the door, opened it, and stepped into the youth hall where most of the executives were waiting.

***

“… so that was the reason why I didn’t make it yesterday,” she explained, keeping her voice as calm and confident as possible. Which wasn’t very easy, considering how most of the eyes fixated on her seemed more interested in unleashing their vitriol on her than discovering why she had failed to show up for the previous day’s meeting.

She continued. “I realize that at the very least, I could have borrowed someone’s phone to call one of you and explain what the hold-up was all about. I totally neglected to do that. So I just want to say that I’m sorry for my failure to show up, and let you know what exactly caused it, and why I didn’t answer my phone.”

Silence all around. She silently prayed that they would at least be moved by the story and accept her reason for the absence.

Nathaniel shook his head. Clearly not impressed by her speech, he grumbled, “Not good enough, Jennifer. Not good enough. Nothing should have prevented you from being here yesterday. Nothing. Or you’ve forgotten how important the meeting was? That was not the time for you to go around performing welfare duties.”

“Exactly!” Barbara added, also looking very displeased. “There was so much on the agenda, and your presence was needed to sort things out for the convention in the next two weeks. That was not the time to be playing Mother Teresa. That’s not important.”

Oh boy. Just as I expected. They just won’t accept it.

“But I sent the documents via email…” she attempted to add.

“Not good enough! Just sending the documents and not showing up is not good enough!” Nathaniel interjected, raising his voice. “We’re looking to make sure the upcoming convention is the best one we’ve had in a while, and everyone’s role is necessary. There’s no space for excuses…”

As she received the heavy outpour of rebukes and blasts from the others about her absence, she marveled at how everyone was so focused on the program and impressing others, especially their Bishop. Nobody even seemed bothered about asking if she’d bring the ones she had saved to the church. Not even a ‘well, we thank God she’s alive’. It was like this woman’s life was inconsequential in the light of their conference.

Is this for real? So nobody will cut me some slack? Not even the fact that a human being’s life was spared is enough for them? Wow!

While one of them ranted on, she turned her head briefly. She noticed one of the cleaners coming out of one inner office not too far from where they were seated.

He looked oddly familiar. She frowned. Ah, it’s like I’ve seen him already today… but where?

“Jennifer!”

Amoateng’s voice snapped her out of her brief distraction. She turned to face them again.

“Are you serious at all? We’re pointing out how unacceptable this decision of yours to gallivant around town and play Good Samaritan is, and you’re busily staring into space?” Barbara questioned, sounding quite disgusted.

Nathaniel sat back and shook his head as he folded his arms, continuing to give her a hard stare. “I’m not gonna lie, Jennifer. You’re usually someone we can depend on when it comes to these matters. But I’m terribly disappointed in you this time. Very, very disappointed.”

Jennifer stood there silently, out of words. Looked like saving a life paled in comparison to ensuring the success of this church program in their eyes.

Then the cleaner she had noticed, who had been standing at the exit door, suddenly put down the bucket he had been holding and moved to where the brief meeting was taking place.

Nathaniel held his fire as he noticed the elderly man approaching. He quickly put on a friendly expression and stood up respectfully as the cleaner arrived. “Oh, uh, is there anything you need, boss?” he asked.

The cleaner ignored his friendly show, stepped into the circle, and looked around, a very stern look on his face. Then he began to speak.

“I heard everything that was being said while I cleaned the office, and I must say, I’m disappointed in all of you. Every single one of you.”

That took everyone aback. Including Jennifer.

He pointed at her. “This young lady you see right here. Even if she didn’t come for your meeting or whatever it is you’re raging about, she doesn’t deserve the treatment you’re giving her right now. Do you realize she saved a life yesterday?”

Looking at him again, she realized who it was.

Wait! That’s the cleaner I saw just as I left the hospital this morning! He works here too? Who would have thought?

“I was in the room of that woman whose life she saved, just as she left. The woman spoke to me after I finished my job there. Do you know what she said? She said she had been losing faith in the church. That all the people she knew as believers were not interested in helping her. Church elders. Deacons and deaconesses. All in love with doing big things for church programs and recognition as giants in the faith. But none of them would lift a finger to help her. She was losing faith until this young lady came her way! Because so many Christians these days are more concerned with playing church than being the hands and feet of Christ! And that’s what all of you are doing!

“All of you, you’re more concerned with having a perfect program than actually showing the love of Christ to those who need it! Agendas and religion is what you people are more interested in. Do you know you’re no different than the priest and the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan? Yes, I’m telling you! You people are not any different from them!”

Some of them seemed pretty uncomfortable with that statement. A few looked bristled, like they were ready to argue with that. Including Nathaniel.

“Sir, with all due respect, I don’t think you really understand. This program is extremely important…” he began.

“Will you shut up with your flimsy little explanations! I don’t care how important your whatever whatever is. Now be quiet and listen to me!”

Nathaniel went mute. At that point, nobody else wanted to follow in his footsteps. This man was on fire.

“God knows why He led her to help that little boy. Because if any of you with this attitude had encountered that little boy, you’d obviously have ignored him. Then what would have happened? An innocent woman would have lost her life, and her children would be orphans by now. Do you know how much that would grieve God’s heart? But it wouldn’t matter to you, would it? Because your focus is all on putting up perfect shows and making people believe God is working. I’m so disappointed in you all. No compassion! None! This is not the attitude of a disciple of Christ!”

At this point, a lot of heads were bowed in shame.

“Do you think this is what Jesus saved you for? Just to come and play church and look holy and spiritual? You think that’s it? Doesn’t the Bible you people read mention how Jesus was moved with compassion for the masses? He wasn’t interested in just preaching a good sermon or having a good reading at the synagogue. It was much deeper than that! You are Christians. Compassion must be in your DNA. Because your Heavenly Father is compassionate! Shame on you! Shame on all of you! For deeming a show of religiosity more important than true religion. Shame on you!”

Total silence. Unhappy and ashamed faces all around. Everyone had just been given a taste of their own medicine, and it sure felt bitter in their mouths. And worse yet, everything he said was true.

He walked over to Jennifer. Patting her on the back, he said, “Listen, let this be a teachable lesson to all of you. Your Christianity means nothing if you’re obsessed with outward shows yet can’t show love and compassion when it’s needed. It means nothing. What does First Corinthians chapter 13 say? If you do all the super-spiritual stuff in the world and you don’t have love, it’s all useless. Everything without love and compassion is useless! Follow this young lady’s example. Your programs and all may be important, but to show the love of Christ and make an indelible impact in the life of someone who needs it? That’s what touches God’s heart more than anything else. Learn to do what touches the heart of God, rather than to focus on boosting your spiritual egos. I’m done.”

He walked away.

The hall was so silent, you could literally hear a pin drop if it fell. Everyone was silent, reflecting on that strong rebuke and reconsidering their anger towards Jennifer.

After what seemed like an eternity, Nathaniel opened his mouth.

“Umm… s-s-so, Jennifer. Can… can we… can we go and visit her? The lady whose life you saved?”

THE END

The cleaner said it all, didn’t he? And he seriously tore them apart! But it’s all true: showing compassion to those who need it is important. Such an essential message to the body of Christ.

Well, thank you for reading, and continue to enjoy yourself in the State!