IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO PREACH IT

 I sat in the second row, the left aisle in the church auditorium, listening attentively to the sermon. The preacher stood on the pulpit in a tailored and expressively ironed suit. He looked at the congregation, his face had a softened expression - his voice carried a level of urgency that could be compared to appealing to a loved one to stay away from fire. He sounded like he would burst into tears if people didn't listen. "You need to love people; love everyone regardless of whom they are, what they do. You've got to love everyone. The greatest of all virtues is love. God is love. Love your neighbour as yourself, said the preacher. 

The congregation sat calmly paying rapt attention. Mrs. Jane Doe sobbed quietly as she listened to this message of love. I scanned the faces of everyone around me; they paid rapt attention, mesmerized by his words. I thought back to my teenage years, and I remembered that the church was a loveless environment.

Everyone always castigating, condemning, mean, unfriendly, rebuking, rarely praising. This message of love wasn't new. We had listened to it at different times, but nothing changed. I saw myself walking to the pulpit saying to the preacher, "It's not enough to preach it, back it with actions". 

Just then, Ruth pinched me to get up. l got out of my reverie and realized that I had only spoken those words in my heart; I didn't have the boldness to face the church. I stood up to pray and resigned myself to the fact that the preacher will always talk about love but nothing will change. That's just life.

x