Author: Parameciumcaudatum

THE THIRD WOMAN

The third lady is not only slender but is also a combination of many admirable traits. When I needed some Moringa leaves, she knew exactly where to go and get them. When I needed some Alovera plants, she took me to a nearby property and helped me select and take as many as I wanted. She is also a seamstress. On many occasions, I have taken different clothing items to her for repair. I also take various materials to her home for her to make pillows and their plastic enclosures. I have never asked her to place a price on the work she does for me. I invariably pay her the appropriate amount, and she is always grateful. She has previously worked in my apartment, and her work has always been meticulous and outstanding. There is a Well located on her property, along with a large polytank, into which the water from the well is pumped and stored during the months of severe heat and consequent drought. Many of the residents from the Sofokyere area make their way to her property carrying bowls and buckets to purchase water. An annual but imperative exercise in this part of The Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana.

She is around 34 and has a beautiful six-year-old daughter from a previous relationship. She is devoted to her child, and many mornings, while I’m returning from my early morning walk, I meet them both as she escorts her daughter to a nearby elementary school. Last year, I attempted to climb up and position myself on one of my neighbors’ walls. Intending to cut and help myself to some twigs loaded with scores of Moringa leaves. Unfortunately, I fell and struck my head on the ground without sustaining any injury. Just then, two women turned the corner and saw what had transpired. One of them was my friend’s mother, and she called out, “Jane, are you going to allow Mr. James to kill himself in the process of obtaining a few twigs of Moringa?” Upon hearing the urgency in her mother’s voice, my friend ran through her large iron gates, wielding a sharp machete. She used it to chop off one of the small branches of my neighbor’s Moringa tree and turn it over to me. At the same time, hearing that I was in some kind of danger, her daughter quickly came through the gates with her mother and embraced me.

Whenever I visit the large, overpopulated, dusty City of Accra, I purchase chocolate bars for her daughter. This metropolis is always a challenge because of severe traffic congestion, poor hygienic conditions, and piles of rubbish in some of the most inconvenient places. Nevertheless, the big hug I received from her daughter upon the presentation of the chocolate bar was a sufficient reward for me. She never takes the bar from me in a courteous manner. However, typical of children in her age group, she grabs the bar from my hand as quickly as possible and buries it in some of her clothing. Although I understand this age group’s behavior, her mother is not impressed with her actions and scolds her. Jane is gifted with many talents, including the ability to iron all kinds of clothes professionally and clean bathrooms efficiently and spotlessly. The art of cooking chicken is a skill she has yet to acquire. I asked her to cook some for me several months ago. I believed that since she was good at so many other things. Simply cooking chicken deliciously would be a piece of cake for her. I was completely wrong. She cooked the chicken, but the end result was a disaster. Because the chicken was fried so crisp that I couldn’t eat it. I requested Jane to take all of the chicken home with her.

It’s difficult for me to classify Jane as a simpleton, but I have no other choice. Her mastery of most domestic skills is beyond question. There are certain challenges, however, that she just cannot deal with rationally. For example, she doesn’t understand that when she has a cold, she shouldn’t prepare any food for other people to eat. She made that mistake with me, and consequently, I was down with a very bad cold for two weeks. Certain problems are insoluble to her. I have a bag I generally take wherever I’m going. It has a large tear in the side. I know she is a seamstress, and I thought she would be the best person to help with the needed repairs. I presented the bag to her because I had a very good idea of just what needed to be done.

All she needed to do was exercise some creativity and innovation. A small challenge that she refused to face. She responded, “Mr. James, I can’t do it, I can’t do it.” Is it possible that she would be incapable of inventiveness and ingenuity? Whenever I go abroad, I leave her in charge of my apartment. I trust her that much. When I returned from the USA during the first week of November 2023, I commenced opening the lock on the back gate; although it was two hours before daybreak, she knew it was me, and she was here and wide awake.

THE FIRST WOMAN

Living in Ghana has exposed me to individuals whose encounters would have been extremely difficult to experience in any other country. On the road where I’m domiciled, there are three women that I’m simply constrained to write about. But how did this happen? Why were the personalities of four strangers from different countries and backgrounds thrust together at a specific time? So that they would experience life and its challenges by rubbing against each other. I refuse to believe that our combined location here is simply the result of blind coincidence. But let us assume that providence is responsible for this divine arrangement. What does The Lord Almighty hope to achieve by manipulating human events in our regard? I’m confident that The Lord ultimately intended to improve our characters. One of the women lives at the entrance to my road. The other one lives on the same property as myself, and the third lives beside me. It would be impossible for me to avoid any of them.

The first woman is definitely a lady. Not only is she a trained professional, holding a bachelor’s degree in education, but she also lives in a beautiful, luxurious mansion with tropical, exotic potted plants strategically placed at different locations on her property. There is a high wall around her plot of land with electrically charged security wires mounted on top to deter would-be intruders. Her house was originally under construction, and as time progressed, many improvements were made gradually until her kitchen, hall, and bedrooms were artistically finished. I originally befriended her because she is tall, slender, and beautiful. However, the better I got to know her, the less I liked her. Never before in my life had I encountered such a blatant user, abuser, and manipulator. Whenever she saw me, her immediate reaction was, “Mr. James, I need money to do my hair, or I need money to purchase fish, or I need money to purchase Banku or Fufu.” Sometimes, it was, “Mr. James, won’t you purchase this watch or chain for me?” My appearance seemed to stimulate some enzyme in her biochemical system that facilitated such a reaction.

Eventually, I avoided walking past her house altogether because she would gaze through her window to ambush me and make new demands. As I observed and contemplated her immediate surroundings, particularly her air-conditioned rooms, the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling of her hall, and exquisitely arranged and furnished bathrooms, it was difficult for me to make sense of her behavior. She seemed to be suffering from an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I used other lanes or thoroughfares to avoid passing her place of abode. But they were far less convenient than the regular route. Which would quickly take me to the nearest taxi stop whenever I needed to travel to Berekum. Before I commenced distancing myself from her, she would visit my apartment occasionally. I noticed, however, that whenever she stopped by, she searched my freezer and helped herself to any fish or chicken being stored therein. A behavioral pattern that I resented, although I issued no complaint to her.

She is 32 and has a 14-year-old son, whom she would periodically send to my house to collect food items. Although he hasn’t been here for at least 18 months now. Probably because she concluded that I didn’t want to be saddled with any such burden. Especially since she seemed to be living in the lap of luxury. Recently, she confessed to owning another house in Accra, which she said needed some repairs before it was ready to be rented out. Sofokyere is a water-stressed area. I made that discovery soon after moving here. I installed a steel tower and a large poly tank to hold water, so I’m no longer beset with that problem. I noticed two elevated poly tanks on a recently constructed concrete tower about three months ago while passing my neighbor’s house. I knew instinctively and immediately that the teacher was far from experiencing economic hardship. She was merely exploiting me for her own benefit.

THE SECOND WOMAN

The lady who lives on the same property as me is defined by her seemingly unlimited energy and hard work. She rises long before daybreak with the caretaker’s wife and 15-year-old daughter. Together, they prepare Kenke over a fierce wooden fire to be sold to community members, who come by each morning to purchase the delicious morsel. It is a daily ritual that they never seem to tire of. During the performance of this diurnal duty, a large aluminum bowl of edibles was also prepared for their patrons and placed on this young woman’s head. Everything is carried to the nearby village of Jinijini and sold. These people are survivors, and they have no high school diplomas or university degrees. Nevertheless, they understand life and know instinctively that they must work to survive.

When she returns from the neighboring village, she saunters through the large iron gates with a huge burden on her head. It consists of large pots, bowls, and pans, probably taken to the stall at the roadside in the nearby community to facilitate more business. They are all unloaded, and then she begins the next leg of her daily routine. The vessels are lined up in order of size. The largest containers are at the end of the line. She begins by scouring the smallest cauldrons first. She completes this chore before noon when the Ghanaian sun is in mid-heaven and blazing with merciless heat. A community banker arrives on the property riding a motorcycle shortly after mid-day to collect the money left in the kitchen for her. These people are business-minded. Not only do they work hard, they also save.

Early one weekday afternoon, as soon as I arrived on the property and passed through the gates, my attractive female friend summoned me. She was standing beside a peddler of fine clothes in front of my neighbor’s kitchen. She wanted me to give her some money to make a purchase. I returned to my apartment for two hundred and fifty Cedis, which I handed her. For some reason best known to her, the 15-year-old younger sister flew into a jealous rage and exclaimed, “That’s not fair.” I’m certain she would have created a far more uncomfortable scene if I had not pacified her anger by handing her some money. I have always been amazed by the fact that some people become emotionally and psychologically threatened when acts of generosity and kindness are rendered to others.

While seated on a concrete slab at the back of the property with my bare feet on the ground, I saw the lady walking towards the large metal gates. She wore a black outfit, and after greeting me, she announced, “Mr. James, I’m leaving.” “You are leaving?” I questioned. “Yes,” she replied, “I’m going to Berekum.” I then invited her to come and sit beside me. She did, and we struck up a conversation. “Mr. James, I need money to do my hair,” She observed. “If you want me to cover those minor expenses, you must do something for me. You will have to clean my apartment and iron my clothes,” I countered. She promptly agreed. After about two weeks, she arrived at my back gate, indicating she was ready to perform my suggested chores. To obtain the money she desired. I let her in, and she worked excellently cleaning those areas in my hall, dining room, bedrooms, and kitchen. She left afterward. I thought she would return the following day to do the bathrooms, but she never showed up.

One morning, I went over to my electrical meter to verify that there were no urgent beeps emanating from that device. Such sounds were designed to warn me that my electrical credits were low and that I needed a recharge. While there, as usual, I noticed that Ms. Sarah was busily washing her large pots and pans, earnestly preparing for the next day. I walked over to where she was seated and asked, “Don’t you want your money? I will happily pay you when you complete the other remaining chores.” She responded, “Mr. James, I couldn’t come because I was tired.” Knowing the circumstances of her life, I was very willing to buy her story.

Moreover, she assured me she would come to my apartment within two days. She came and did some ironing but left within one hour of her arrival. I thought her actions were strange, especially since she had never returned. In vain, I waited patiently, but she never came back. After a few days, I carefully examined the clothes she had pressed. To my great shock and amazement, I discovered that the clothes had not been properly ironed and the bathrooms had never been cleaned. What a contradiction, I thought to myself. “Is such a state of affairs even possible?” I questioned myself. “How can a woman be such a hard worker, yet completely unable to properly iron clothes or clean two bathrooms?” This state of affairs was not dissimilar to a lady I knew who was a fine seamstress and an excellent cook but was seemingly incapable of keeping a clean and well-organized house.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

The Redeemer predicted the end of human history. Accordingly, we should earnestly prepare for that epochal event. We need to make serious preparations even though we don’t know exactly when the return of the Son of God will occur. At some point in time, human probation will close. Just as it closed in Noah’s day. When it closes, salvation and the forgiveness of sins will no longer be available to any soul.

“Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” Genesis 7:1 (NKJV)

“So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.” Genesis 7:16 (NKJV)

“The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.” Revelation 15:8 NKJV

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24: 14 (NKJV)

But how exactly should we prepare?

1. REPENT OF ALL KNOWN SINS “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
2. OBEY ALL OF GOD’S COMMANDMENTS “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14 (NKJV).
3. WARN OTHERS AND HELP THEM TO PREPARE TO MEET JESUS IN PEACE WHEN HE COMES “Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’” Luke 14: 21-24

The world’s Redeemer observed that history would come full circle once more. That Planet Earth would return to events and conditions patterned after Noah’s days. At that time in human history, there was a universal crime wave, widespread corruption, immorality of every kind, and a full-scale rejection of God’s sacred law. For all the above reasons, the Lord of Creation will again intervene forcefully in human history.

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24: 37-39 (NKJV).

Jesus, however, is not the only prophet who pointed to the end of the ages and the abrupt discontinuation of all human history and existence as we know it.

“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.” Daniel 2: 44-45 (NKJV).

“Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,  to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” Jude 1: 14-15 (NKJV).

Scripture continually references the grand finale in human history, when God intervenes in human affairs to execute His judgment on mankind. These prophetic events will be unavoidable. No one can travel to another planet to escape or avoid them. They are coming. They are a certainty. They are man’s ultimate destiny.

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” Revelation 14: 6-7.

“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.” Luke 12: 35-38 (NKJV)

Salvation will certainly not last forever. God’s gracious offer of compassion and mercy will eventually be withdrawn. At that time, all the righteous who had accepted God’s grace would have been sealed for time and eternity. Just as Noah and his family were sealed before they entered the Ark. Afterwards, the impenitent wicked will be fully exposed to God’s wrath in the form of the Seven Last Plagues. All those who’ve failed to develop characters that will fit them for heaven. Those who’ve failed to embrace the plan of salvation will be shut out of God’s kingdom. Just as the five foolish virgins were shut out because they had failed to make adequate preparations promptly.

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25: 1-13 (NKJV).

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” Matthew 11: 20-24 (NKJV).

The fact that The Saviour repeatedly refers to The Day Of Judgement suggests a future date when there will be a reckoning for all human activity.

Scripture doesn’t reveal everything about Sodom and Gomorrah, but we know that Lot and his family lived there for some time. Presumably, they were exemplars of those two metropolis for a while. Apparently, the divine mind considered their constant testimony of virtuous lives to be an adequate warning to the brazen sinners of that region. The awesome historical events through which God repeatedly revealed Himself demonstrate His sovereignty. To some cities/countries, He sent prophets. To others, he sent none.

“The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.” Genesis 19: 23-25 (NKJV).

“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deed.” 2 Peter 2: 6-8 (NKJV).

Not only does The Lord Almighty hate sin. Impenitence is equally repugnant to Him. As the prophet Samuel emphasized to King Saul:

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15: 22-23 (NKJV).

The sovereignty of God is the fact that he is the Lord over creation; as sovereign, he exercises his rule. This rule is exercised through God’s authority as king, his control over all things, and his presence with his covenantal people and throughout his creation. The divine name, Yahweh, expresses this sovereign rule over against the claims of human kings, such as Pharaoh (Exod. 3:14). Because God is tri-personal, however, his sovereign control is not impersonal or mechanical, but is the loving and gracious oversight of the king of creation and redemption. TCG: Divine Sovereignty And Human Freedom By John M. Frame

As we have observed throughout human history, The Sovereign Lord intervenes periodically to warn sinners and execute judgments against them. That is his nature and character. Some of those warnings were time-specific.

“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations.  Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” Jeremiah 25: 8-11 (NKJV).

Furthermore, The Lord Almighty doesn’t issue idle threats or warnings. Whatever He declares, He has the power to make it happen.

“And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. And those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.” 2 Chronicles 36: 15-21 (NKJV)

History is poetic. It has a way of repeating itself, just like a recurring decimal.

That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.” Ecclesiastes 1: 9 (NKJV)

It is wonderful news that the Creator will forgive sins and give all who repent a clean slate. “Again, when I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live.” Ezekiel 33: 14-16 (NKJV). How long, however, will God’s grace and mercy last? To answer this question, we need only take a long, hard look at sacred history. Mercy didn’t last forever in Noah’s day. “And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6: 3-4 (NKJV).

Forgiveness and compassion were extended to humanity for one hundred and twenty years. But after that time expired, God’s mercy ended. Noah and his family were the only people who ensured their lives were fully harmonious with The Creator’s revealed Will. Accordingly, they were spared the judgment that came upon the antediluvian world. Everyone else was lost in the deluge sent upon the civilization of that era.

The Bible reveals God’s true nature and tells us what we need to know about Him to remain within the boundaries of His love. In response to Moses’ prayer to see the face of the divine One, the omnipotent king declined, in mercy, to expose his face to a sinful mortal, promising instead to let His goodness pass before His servant.

“Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34: 5-7 (NKJV).

We behold Him on the mountain: God of love, compassion, truth, and Justice. These eternal principles were clearly displayed in Christ’s life and ministry and in His substitutionary death upon Calvary’s tree. One overriding principle becomes abundantly clear: The Lord Almighty descends to meet sinful, erring mortals where they are, but He never changes.

“For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 3:6 (NKJV).

“Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.” Deuteronomy 5: 32-33

God’s unchangeable character shines through at every juncture in the history of the human race. Mercy and grace were extended to Adam and his descendants. But it all ended in Noah’s day. At that time, human wickedness had progressed to the stage that the divine government considered intolerable. Hatred of sin appears to be the divine motto. That fact was again revealed while Lot and his family were citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. There was no extensive preaching of the gospel in Sodom. Nor were there any repeated calls for repentance and reformation of life. Nevertheless, all the inhabitants of those two cities were held responsible for the moral perversions in which they indulged, tolerated, or to which they were indifferent.

“Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—take them out of this place! For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.” Genesis 19: 12-14 (NKJV).

Although not directly involved in Sodom’s immorality, the patriarch’s extended family had apparently accepted it as normal. Now, they had become irretrievably tarnished by the City’s moral pollution. Since they saw nothing wrong with the citizens they lived with, they subsequently became doomed with them. How could any sane person hope to raise children securely in such an environment?

These ancient cities stand out in time as monuments from ages past. Historical road signs, relics, and warnings from antiquity. They all came up for review before the supreme Lord of the universe. Unfortunately, like the emperor Belshazzar of Babylon, “They were weighed in the balances and found wanting.” We must consider them carefully and contemplate their rise and fall. Some of them never passed through the experience of hearing the gospel preached to them, but they were all subjected to God’s judgment because of their wickedness.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

After observing the clear demonstration of his psychopathology, I mentally formulated a Treatment Plan for the caretaker’s eldest son. I commenced to implement this plan as providence gave me the opportunity. A few days after his emotional breakdown at my back gate, I struck up a conversation with my young neighbor. I asked him, “Did you give me any money to keep for you, and did you arrange with me to refund you that full amount on Christmas day?” His reply was, “No, Mr. James.” “So why are you coming to my gate and demanding that I give you a Christmas present,” I asked him. He had no answer. I made no further comment at the time. I merely wanted him to see the folly and madness of his pursuits. Three months afterward, he came to me and said, “Mr. James, it’s my birthday.” “I will give you a birthday gift,” was my reply. However, I need something from you in return. There are two exposed pipes beneath the water tower. I want you to cover them with sand, and afterward, I will give you a gift for your birthday. It took him several days to complete that assignment, and afterward, I presented him with a bottle of soda and a pack of crackers.

“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before unknown men.” Proverbs 22:29 (NKJV).

Six weeks ago, my neighbor’s eldest son told me it was his birthday again. I told him, “As you already know, a large garbage container is beside the gate; I want you to wait until the garbage truck empties it. Afterward, I want you to wash it out. When you are done, let me know, and I will pay you twenty Cedis.” Although he agreed to my proposal, the assignment was never executed, and he received no money from me. He wanted to continue being a toddler at 13, enjoying unlimited benefits without shouldering any responsibilities. I was trying to nip that trait in the bud and teach him that we receive by giving in life.

The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” Proverbs 22:13 (NKJV)

In January, it was extremely hot in The Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. The sun would beat down on my head mercilessly. I purchased two hats in Berekum to relieve myself from the relentless heat. When I returned to the property, I met the caretaker’s son sitting on the stairs leading to their apartment upstairs. He was thrown into a paroxysm of instant, uncontrollable need when he saw my hat. “Mr. James, I love your hat,” he observed. “It looks very nice; I want you to get me one.” I wasn’t surprised in the least by his behavior. In fact, I had expected it. I merely ignored him and continued on my way to my apartment. When he saw me wearing my new hat again the following day, he repeated his request. But on this occasion, I merely remarked, “That’s very interesting.” This teenager had a very serious problem. He had entered puberty believing that the world owed him special treatment, and he continually did everything in his power to maximize such a potential. His mind, however, urgently needed to be disabused of that delusion. That’s all I was trying to do to salvage any sense of responsibility lying dormant in his character and save him from future disaster.

“The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.” Proverbs 13: 4 (NKJV)

His parents didn’t do much to help him avoid such pitfalls either. When his sister was here, I would periodically give her Cold Relief medication whenever she caught the flu. After a while, the mother came to me to obtain that remedy whenever she came down with a cold. Occasionally, she would even ask me to purchase her a bottle of soda in Berekum. I always obliged her. Primarily because I didn’t want to engender any negative feelings. What I observed over some time, though, was that they continually expected me to take care of them. A form of subtle exploitation and abuse. No wonder their eldest son was so adept at begging. He had been taught by professionals. Three months ago, when I was about to leave for Techiman to renew my Ghana Card. The younger daughter informed me that her father needed to speak with me. I went over to where he was standing. He told me a long story about the landlord instructing him to leave the farm to visit this property. Then he revealed that he had no money and needed me to help him with the fare to return to the Cocoa plantation. I explained that since I had lost my money card, I could not provide financial aid to anyone now.

“He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure.” Proverbs 11:15 (NKJV)

One of the great injunctions of life is to do good and be kind to those less fortunate. Some less fortunate people, however, have perfected the practice of preying on the compassion and magnanimity of their neighbors. They do this shamelessly, intending only to give themselves an advantage by exploiting people who are psychologically vulnerable because of their naivete. The Master encountered many of these people during His earthly ministry.

when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” John 6: 24-27 (NKJV)

These users and abusers desired to employ Jesus to enjoy the wonderful benefits of the kingdom. But at the same time, they stoutly resisted any effort on the part of the Saviour to get them to embrace the spiritual values that would facilitate the accomplishment of their desires. They didn’t know what was in their own best interest.

A few days after I arrived at this address, I saw the caretaker’s eldest son standing on the steps leading into his apartment with two of his schoolmates. He specifically complained to me that his school fees had not been paid, so he had to be absent from classes. I listened carefully and contemplated his assertions but left things as they were. About one month later, he complained that he needed a football and asked me to purchase one. Since I didn’t want to violate any boundaries or infringe on any cultural mores. I asked his mother if she would permit me to purchase a football for her son. She willingly gave me the go-ahead. Buying the football was one thing. I also had to acquire an air pump so that he could keep his new toy inflated at the correct volume and pressure. About four months later, he told me his bicycle was in disrepair and asked me to fix it. Once again, I spoke to his mother before doing anything. After obtaining her consent, I invited her son to accompany me to the repair shop with his bicycle. All the necessary repairs were effected, and after paying the total amount charged by the bike mechanic, we boarded a taxi and returned to Sofokyere.

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22: 6 (NKJV)

After that act of charity towards their eldest son. I presume it seemed to him that I wasn’t adequately fulfilling the role. He had carved out in his childish mind for me with sufficient gusto. His biological father was rarely here, and his parent’s income was limited. Accordingly, he surmised I would make a fine surrogate father to care for his many wants. His parents were loving and attentive; he ate three meals daily and had sufficient clothes and shoes. But he always wanted more. Apparently, I wasn’t giving him enough. Therefore, he organized a plot with one of his friends to harass me by pounding on the metal gate protecting my rear porch. I was initially annoyed, but I asked his sister to summon him so I could counsel him. She did. As he sat on the couch in my hall, I cautioned him: “You need to be very careful. Because if you went to someone else’s property and started beating down their gate, they might be tempted to shoot you, and nothing would come out of it.” I formulated a more comprehensive picture of his psychological profile as time progressed. He was suffering from Pampered Child Syndrome.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. Proverbs 22:15 (NKJV).

He was his parents’ first boy, and out of gratitude for his arrival. They probably showered him with more gifts and attention during his infancy than was wise. As time progressed in his early years, he became enamored with all the pampering he received and wanted it to be permanent. In his pubescent era, he has refused to move on emotionally. Still yearning to be showered with the same attention that was poured upon him during his toddler years. In December of 2023, I became poignantly aware of just how deep-seated and chronic his psychological problem was. Unfortunately, I lost my phone and gave his two sisters air time. I asked them to call my number regularly. I wanted to see if the person who found my phone would be honest enough to answer and return the lost property to the rightful owner. Their eldest brother was profoundly threatened by my gesture. Thrown into an emotional crisis because it seemed to him that other family members were getting more attention than was being lavished upon him.

Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death. Proverbs 19:18 (NKJV)

He came to the metal grill protecting my back porch and knocked on the gate. “How can I help you, sir?” That was my response. “Mr. James,” said he, “you gave my sisters a Christmas present, and you gave me nothing,” he complained. “What exactly was that present,” I questioned. “You gave them air time for their phones, and you didn’t give me any.” “I didn’t give your sisters any Christmas gift; I gave them work to do.” Taking on the air of a Roman Emperor and raising his voice to a high pitch, he demanded, “I want my Christmas present, Oooo!” He refused to understand the import of my words. He was blinded by his own inexplicable emotional needs. Deep inside, he felt he was still an infant and others were obligated to cater to his wants.

There, before me, was standing a potential monster in the making. His parents and siblings probably weren’t aware of it, but I saw it clearly. Then, I realized that acts of charity and compassion can sometimes become liabilities. Ghana is a poor country divided between the haves and the have-nots. Regrettably, people who receive gifts from their benefactors often conclude that they must always receive them, regardless of the circumstances. He just didn’t seem to understand that there had to be a relationship between the gift administered and the overwhelming need of the recipient.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

After moving to my new address in Sofokyere, I gradually learned, from careful observation, that the caretaker’s family consisted of his wife, two girls, and two boys. The girls were the eldest. One of the boys was only a toddler, and over five years, I watched them mature into older people. I routinely gave the toddler candy daily as often as he requested it. The two girls, and one of them was twenty, never asked for any. But the older boy, who was eight years old when I first moved to that location, always needed something. He was too old to be doled out candies but routinely requested some. In fact, he was always begging for something. Either shoes, clothes, food, or some other paraphernalia. Neither of the two girls indulged in that kind of conduct.

The property’s caretaker was rarely here. He spent most of his time caring for the Cocoa plantation owned by my real estate landlord. He was away for several months at a time. However, he would chop wood for his wife’s business whenever he came home. She would cook a popular broth known as Kenke every morning, which she sold to community members. Firewood was the least expensive fuel available to the poor and was the most popular alternative to gas and charcoal. He made sure that there was an ample supply of that fuel for her daily needs. Whenever I looked through my window each morning towards their wooden kitchen. I would see the flames dancing beneath the large aluminum pot where the Kenke was being boiled.

Providing an abundant supply of chopped firewood was only one of his responsibilities whenever he visited the property in Sofokyere. He also routinely cut the grass, forked part of the land, and planted ground provisions such as corn, coco yam, and cassava. Along the inner side of the wall separating the property from the road were some small trees which he regularly pruned. He was an industrious handyman.

“Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Half effort does not produce half results. It produces no results. Work, continuous work and hard work, is the only way to accomplish results that last.”— Hamilton Holt, American author

Their eldest daughter always did her best to help her mother, and they all rose from sleep at around 4:00 A.M. each day to start the fire and cook the Kenke for their patrons, who came religiously to purchase the portions they needed every morning. Men, single women, mothers carrying their infants on their backs, boys and girls, marched through the large iron gates to acquire the nutritious morsel they needed to commence the day.

“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?  A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep—So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.” Proverbs 6: 6-11 (NKJV).

By and large, the eldest daughter was a nice person. She was ambitious and hard-working, and like most young people her age, she yearned to get out of Ghana. One day, she summoned me and said, Mr. James, I see that you live by yourself. Are you happy? “Of course,” was my reply. “But it’s very bad here she continued, this is not a nice place.”

I had no complaints. I was able to pay my rent annually and promptly. I routinely purchased all the food I needed, bought electrical credits and water for my apartment, and hired a helper who assisted me in caring for my two bedrooms, large hall, large kitchen, large dining room, front and back porches, and 21/2 bathrooms receptacle. Moreover, unlike America, Ghana has sunshine and warmth all year round. One chronic problem in this country is the paucity of employment opportunities. In fact, jobs are so scarce that many talented graduates have Bachelor’s degrees. Yet they must purchase employment positions and sometimes wait several years before employment. According to this problem, my neighbor’s eldest daughter came to me one day to ask if I could loan her 6000.00 GHS so that she could purchase an entry into the local Police Service. This idea wasn’t new to me because a good friend of mine had worked as a volunteer at a local government office and, after three years, was actually offered a position at that facility if he was willing to purchase it. He accepted the proposal and divvied up six thousand cedis to secure the position but waited another three years to be officially hired after paying the full amount.

Although sympathetic to her case, I had no interest in perpetuating an archaic and corrupt local custom. This seemed very similar to something I had encountered in Jamaica, where poor peasants were forced to purchase a contract to cut sugar cane in North America. The contract didn’t materialize in many cases, so technically, they were robbed. This kind of chicanery was widespread in Ghana.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Providence arranged some encounters between my father and me in subsequent years, long after my childhood years had come and gone. In fact, how else can I see the time we spent together during my early 40’s? At the time, I owned a commercial property in Chicago. One of the units was a beauty salon. My so-called father expressed interest in managing that store on my behalf. Politely, I listened to what he was saying because I knew from personal recollection that he had considerable experience in that area of expertise. That, however, was all I did. His addiction to liquor, nicotine, Cocaine, Marijuana, and gambling was also hitting me in the face. “So I will punish them for their ways,
And reward them for their deeds.  For they shall eat, but not have enough; They shall commit harlotry, but not increase;
Because they have ceased obeying the Lord.” Hosea 4: 9-11 (NKJV). How, then, could I trust him with any kind of financial responsibility? I would have to be insane to ignore his checkered history.

At least twice, we traveled from Michigan to Chicago in my automobile and then back again. He loved to brag about his sexual prowess. “There was a time,” he boasted, “when I was younger, all I had to do was look at a woman, and she would be impregnated. But those days are over since my vasectomy surgery,” He concluded. He subsequently asserted, “I received a medical examination recently, and the doctor asserted that I’m an extremely highly sexed man. Accordingly, he has mandated me to engage in sexual activity as often as I possibly can.” I believed him one hundred percent. I do recall spending some time in Spanish Town, Jamaica. At the time, I went there to visit my mother, who had never raised me. In fact, she didn’t even recognize me when I first met her in 1975. She came out of her house to greet me at her gate, and when we met, she asked, “Who is the person?” I replied, “My name is James, and my aunt, Mrs. James (my mother’s sister), suggested I come here to meet you. My mother then opened her gate and called out the rest of her children to come and introduce themselves to their eldest brother and her firstborn.

After this epochal event, I visited with my father at his home in Spanish Town. I had a car at my disposal, and we drove around the City. Wherever we went, my late father was enthusiastically and affectionately greeted by a beautiful young woman, and none of them was pregnant. Therefore, I knew that his promiscuous career was continuing unabated, without leaving any baggage behind for other people to handle. When I first went to his house in Spanish Town, I was immediately recognized by my progenitor, and he greeted me by exclaiming, “My son, my son!” The tables had turned. I was a young and prosperous adult. He was in his 60’s, but he looked twenty years younger. Probably because he had never done a day’s work in his life. Now he wanted me to play daddy to him. But when I remembered his neglect of me, along with his rejection and aloofness towards me as a child, I just didn’t have the stomach for such a game. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Galatians 6:7-8 (NKJV)

While visiting the Parish of Saint Ann to become acquainted with my mother’s side of the family, I was initially accompanied by Ms. Sarah, my paternal grandmother’s sister, and my grandaunt. We ran into my paternal grandfather. A strange and intriguing character by any measure. Although he was well-dressed, he was stoic and aloof. Ms. Sarah told him who I was, but he just stood there like an obelisk. He barely looked at us, and after a few minutes had transpired, he ignored us completely. As the years rolled by, I learned the expression, “Like father, like son.” I had two children, a son and a daughter. They both ran into my father at my grandmother’s house. While chatting, I heard my father utter profanity. At that moment, I decided that my children’s grandfather could not have any closer contact with my offspring. I wouldn’t invite him to my house because I feared he would contaminate their speech and conduct. Nor did I want them to even think of emulating him. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9 (NKJV).

One weekday afternoon after returning to Berrien Springs, Michigan, from my work in Chicago, I stopped at my grandmother’s house on Mar’s Road. I went through the front door, and after crossing the porch, I ended up in her hall. She was seated on her sofa, and I asked her, “Momma, how are you doing today? “Actually, I’m dying,” was her reply. My heart sank. My father’s mother had been my protector, provider, Saviour, guardian angel, and educator. She was the fountain of my virtues and the wellspring of all my values. Now, I was about to lose her, and I was almost overwhelmed with grief. She was an irreplaceable pearl of great price. What would I do without her? Approximately three years previously, at the age of 87, she had been diagnosed with Cancer of the Ureter. I spoke to the physicians involved in her treatment plan, specifically, the doctor performing the surgical procedure. He assured me that all would be well. If I really believed him, then I would be gullible. After everything that they did, three years later, she was knocking at death’s door. Ultimately, she was admitted to The Berrien General Hospital for the final weeks of her life. When I took her there, I was suffering from an injured back and couldn’t help with any of the lifting. I will never forget the words of the attending nurse when I spoke with her about my grandmother’s diagnosis. “Brother James,” she said, “If you live long enough in this life, then something will come to take you out.”

Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Revelation 14:13 (NKJV)

One of the most painful days of my life occurred when I was about 13 years of age. My father and his wife were both in the City of Bristol. Although they lived in the borough of Slough, one of the suburbs of London, they came to Bristol periodically to do people’s hair. At the time, Blacks had not yet begun a serious exploration of their own cultural and racial roots. Therefore, the rage in England among West Indian Blacks was to get their hair straightened. Presumably, to look more like British Caucasians. This trend had started among Blacks living in the USA. At that time, my father and his wife were professional cosmetologists. When they traveled to my part of the country, they did so to make a financial killing. Because they had a large clientele. They traveled to other parts of the country populated by similar racial groups to do likewise.

My father owned a black poodle. I’ve often wondered why? Concluding that he was just another insecure simpleton. Desperately attempting to look ‘white’ by suddenly adopting one of the cultural norms of a British Caucasian aristocrat. I had seen this behavior before among my friends from the country that used to be known as Persia (Iran). Some were suddenly smoking pipes, wearing a hat, and walking with a polished cane the same length as an umbrella. By doing so, they desperately tried to fit in a foreign country to conceal their true identity. It was, nevertheless, an exercise in futility because everything they did was so transparent.

Another painful experience was when his wife made me a promise that she failed to keep. She promised me a watch and said she would send my grandmother the money to purchase the present. Typical of a naive child, I believed her and embraced the promise, not knowing then that, as the saying goes, “A promise is a comfort to a fool.” Children, however, give adults a clean slate of unconditional trust until you prove to them that you are unworthy of their confidence. I waited patiently and repeatedly in vain. The days turned to weeks, and the weeks evaporated into months and years. As time progressed, my hopes for the long-awaited watch were gradually transformed into a profound and deep disappointment. More than sixty years later, the promised watch has failed to materialize. My father’s second wife repeatedly complained bitterly about his conduct. Still, now that I reflect upon their behavioral patterns, it’s obvious that “Birds of a feather flock together.” Both of them exhibited behavior of emotional callousness.