THE TEMPLE

Yesterday and the day before, saw me huddled behind a long table displaying the Word Ventures books, under a demountable gazebo at the X2 Event in Safa Park. I was invited by the organizers of the event to be the caricature artist for the event.

Since the mornings weren’t crowded, my eyes wandered about the park a bit and took in the festive atmosphere specially created for mums with their twins, triplets and more (Believe me … there were even sextuplets present at the event!). What caught my attention was a young couple who sauntered into the bazaar area where my tent was located. The lady was wearing a beautiful white dress but her husband (?) was wearing faded, torn, dirty jeans and a crumpled t-shirt. An artist was busy painting and a few people had gathered to watch her. Our couple also decided to take a break from the hot afternoon sun and decided to watch the painter at work. The man had no qualms about seating directly onto the grass, but the lady refused to sit even though her man tugged at her dress to make her sit!

The Holy Spirit, quick as He is, used this as a great example to teach me a lesson.

Why wasn’t the lady sitting down? – Because she was wearing a white dress and did not want to dirty it.

Why was the man quick to sit on the grass? – Because he was wearing torn, dirty jeans and did not care about dirtying his already dirty clothes.

So what is the ‘take-home’ from this? – Many a times we drill into ourselves that we have ugly bodies. Sometimes we even make it a point to repeatedly embarrass our growing children by telling them how fat and ugly they look. The result is that they begin living loosely – Many ‘not-so-good-looking’ girls end up falling prey to feeling this way and live out a promiscuous life!

On the other hand, if we drill into our children and loved ones that they are the ‘righteousness of God’ and that they are beautiful the way they are, they will ‘wear’ their bodies like it was a spotless white garment and always want to keep it clean and spotless.

NEVER FORGET that each of you is made beautiful in God’s eyes. You are the righteousness of God. You are a ‘son’ or ‘daughter’or 'a child of God'.  And like St. Paul says in 1 cor 6:19, “know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” – Let us live Holy Lives!