Bad Luck Comes in Threes or So They Say

Wow, my September has had some random curve balls! Just before my last post, I was all packed, primped and ready to go loco in the ultimate CCC way at one of my best girl’s weddings. For reasons too bore snore to relay in this post, I didn’t get to go. Disappointment and shock didn’t cover it; she was one of a small circle of ride or die chums, where we had prayed through the heartbreaks and hot dates, usually with a never ending pot of tea on the go. Well, it isn’t called tea and sympathy for nothing?

Also occurring this month another gathering, which I thought by rights I would be invited to. Again, for reasons too dull to recount and not in the least bit spiritually edifying, I found my name had not made the guest list. I was dumbfounded. In a similar way as with the wedding I had missed, I felt blind-sided by what was occurring. But occurring it most definitely was. These were not things that happened to the prayerful, poso and pretty frock wearing sorts. Especially when in both instances I wanted to be there as said prayerful, poso and pretty frock wearing presence.  And finally yesterday, a day filled with the usual challenges one has to navigate living in the hustle and bustle of Lagos, I assessed the fridge only to realise that I hadn’t really paid to attention to what was in it or the larder and there were elements but not quite a coherent recipe of ingredients and leftovers to make a soothe-my-soul supper with. Whoever said bad luck comes in three’s might have been onto something I mused.

So how does one deal with disappointments, bucket of vino imbibing, shoe shopping sprees and pity party attending aside? All of which may distract but don’t diminish the pain. Well, one opens up a bible, gets reading and prays that something will resonate. As ever with the living Jesus, I was not disappointed and two verses in the Psalms jumped out and spoke to me.

“Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm30:5

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

In the instance of the wedding, I allowed myself a cry a la Psalm 30:5 the night before, knowing that tomorrow would be a better day, and then on the day itself went full throttle Psalm 118:24. God bless technology for this one, as I was treated to WhatsApp updates from friends throughout the day, and with comments, emojis and the rest I was able to participate as a virtual wedding guest. Heck, I was even throwing shapes that very evening in the sky high Miu Miu stilettos that were going to form part of my ensemble. I didn’t have to actually be there, to thank God for this most amazing and joyous occasion, and celebrate I did, right to the last snap and video footage sent.

   

I have employed the same approach with the other event too. There is nothing in the bible that says one needs to be in the same location to thank the Lord for its occurrence. Nor is it helpful to wallow in the pain of not making the invitation cut. One could still, Psalmist style, rejoice in the day that the Lord has made and all those gathered to witness it. One could also choose to focus on the joy that comes anew with each day on God’s green earth rather than any hurt that might  have preceded the day itself.

As for the grub situation, God had given me everything I needed. I love cooking and I saw the ingredients as a challenge; and furthermore, I needed to be thankful, especially living in a country where so many go to bed hungry, that I even had food to be sniffy about. The result was a beyond delicious lentils, fish and coconut soup, People are loving it on Instagram too, so it can’t be that bad at all!

So does bad luck come in threes? I say a resounding no. Because every disappointment is one where God’s grace can come rushing in, not just making you stronger but also closer to him. Not only that, there is something far more powerful that comes in three, and that’s the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are truly all one needs when life gives you an almighty punch in the stomach. And if the disappointment still has you on the ropes, remember the other event with ‘three’ front and centre, Jesus’ resurrection. On the third day he rose again! One can stand in that most certain victory every time and know that it is ours too.

Evangelism 2.0

I was sitting in traffic. Anyone who is reading this in or having ever been to Lagos will know how epic an affair that can be: a short journey could take hours, and add super selfish sometimes downright dangerous driving into the mix and one’s mood can plummet quicker than the proverbial lead balloon. But on this particular journey I was struck by a noise. It wasn’t the usual chorus of irate horning, but it was a familiar worship song, being played at top volume. I looked behind me and there was a little three wheeler car,  one normally sees yellow ones operating as taxis,  painted pristine white and decked out with megaphones and bearing the legend ‘JESUS’. I couldn’t help but smile, and of course snap, and then sing along to the song. Traffic just got interesting.

But it wasn’t just about brightening up commuters’ days; the driver and whoever helped him decorate the car was hoping to do something far more dramatic; he was hoping to win souls for Jesus. Get people giving God the glory before they opted for anything else: themselves, their possessions, and their position, maybe all three put together and instead see him as the source of every good thing in their lives. Not only that, he was doing exactly what Jesus called us to do:

“He said to them, “Go into the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark16:15

Evangelism can sometimes feel like such an embarrassing word: with associations of earnest holier than thou sorts knocking on people’s doors and bombarding them with factoids about why what they believe is best. However, it needn’t be that heavy handed. One friend used to operate a ‘flirt to convert’ concept, where she would chat up guys and then suggest church as their first date. On one level it was quite hilarious how the most hardened atheist would agree, probably on account of her model good looks and mile long legs, but let’s just say that committed conversions were few and far between!

So how does one do the Evangelism thing and avoid a cringe situation? The key is seeing how Jesus called the original disciples: there was a lot of calling out to people and saying ‘follow me’ (for more fulsome accounts check out Matthew 4:19-22 and Mark 1:16-20), but then this begs the question why did people with homes, jobs, loved ones and maybe chocka social lives, just take off on this altogether different direction?  Put simply it was Jesus. Even right at the beginning, before they had seen miracles galore, mega crowds coming to listen to his preaching, or met with the risen Lord after Good Friday, the disciples were convinced. They sensed there was something tangibly better to be found in a life in him. The details were revealed to them in due course, but for now, that feeling sufficed.

Which brings it back to us contemporary evangelists, operating in a world where there is so much information and not enough time to take it all in, we need only show the Jesus in us to evangelise. And that doesn’t necessarily mean talking in super spiritual terms, or boring some poor person who happens to be in the queue behind you in a shop or standing next to you at a party. Just giving off the vibe of one who truly possesses the peace that passes all understanding, who most definitely has compassion and care for all creation, who doesn’t judge and doesn’t condemn. Who just, you know, imbues a room with positive energy and a sense of possibility. Do this, and people will probably flock to you, not necessarily Sermon on the Mount styles, but they will come and they will ask questions and they will want to know more, and if you see it going in that direction, you can probably ask them to church. What happens next is in his most able hands.