Mummy G.O
Growing up, I knew SU people to be strict Christians who wore long dresses and ensured their body was properly covered even if their outfits were ill-fitted. Back then, we used to make fun of them and would avoid being called an SU because it also meant that you didn’t fit into the “cool kids' circle”. Ultimately, you won’t be invited to parties, late-night crawling, exam malpractice etc.
I tried to avoid being an SU but my mum didn’t make things easy as she’d always ensure my school uniforms were oversized and yeah, I looked like an SU. Plus, them no born me well to ask for permission to attend parties, hangout with boys etc. So I was tagged as an SU as far back as secondary school.
Got into university, a new life but I still couldn’t shake off the SU vibes. My lifestyle in school was lecture-church-hostel. My friends were my hostel mates as I spent my entire undergraduate days living on campus. I wasn’t interested in keeping friends off-campus. Now, this doesn’t mean that I wasn’t involved in what I would call ‘stupid things’. Story for another day.
I decided to look like the real SU as an undergraduate in a bid to ensure that I don’t catch the fancy of my lecturers. 😂 😂 It didn’t work tho.
But it helped me to avoid much rubbish and stand by my identity and conviction. I could turn down offers and opportunities on the basis of my faith, and there wasn’t too much rebuttal.
Fast forward to recently, a colleague suddenly started calling me Christie SU. I was surprised because I didn’t look like an SU and had never preached to him directly. If he had called me Mummy G.O. like my former colleagues, I wouldn’t have thought it too much because that’s what you call a lady who is committed to her faith.
I was taken aback because I wasn’t dressing like an SU. I wear pants and jeans trousers, I wear jewellery, I smell good and nice, I interact with my colleagues and all, and of course, I made it obvious that I was a Christian.
You would have thought that he was going to stop after a few days, but it continued, and it extended to this person just opting for a high five instead of side hugs like he used to insist. I like itt.
My greatest lesson from this is that people are watching what you do, what you stand for, and how you live your life. It doesn’t end there, they are watching what spills out of your life to see if indeed you’re not faking it.
Now, I’m not speaking from the angle of your lifestyle preaching to people, I’m talking about your identity. There is no way you will say you have been with Christ if it’s not obvious in your life for men to see.
People should be able to see and tell that you are one of them. Take a cue from Peter after Jesus was captured to be crucified. He couldn’t afford to leave his Lord even though he was scared.
As he sat with them by the fire, a couple of people mentioned that he looked like the men who had been with Jesus. Even though he denied it thrice, it didn’t take away the fact that he had been with him.
And when he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them too; for even your [Galilean] accent gives you away.” Matthew 26:71–73
They could tell by his smell, his manner of approach, his reasoning, his choice of words, his actions within that short time. He didn’t even attempt to blend with the servants because they gave him fire for warmth, he was just there even though he eventually denied his identity. Denying it did not take away the fact that, that’s who he is.
If you indeed spend time with the Lord, we shouldn’t have to struggle to know from the aroma that comes from your life.
Forget all those, “God sees the heart and not the body”, if you’ve indeed been with the Lord, he will interrupt your lifestyle till you are in conformity with his desire. Your conformity will happen on the inside but like the aroma of any meal, it will find its way out and people will see that you have indeed been with the Lord.
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