Checking on is what we stopped doing that has made us lose so many former faithfuls. The faithful sons, daughters, homes, husbands, wives, church members and leaders alike to gradual backsliding perfectly covered.
Checking is entering the school office to enquire about your child’s performance and behavior. Checking is paying an unscheduled visit to your girl/son in the university to know exactly what’s going on and where he/she is living.
Checking is going back home to really research on that new revelation of pastor that raised a question in your heart if it be truly so…
Checking is asking your fellow brother/sister where he/she plans to sleep or slept when paying a few days visit to fiancé/fiancée outside his/her state of residence. Checking is asking “who’s that girl/boy I’ve been seeing with you lately, what’s going on?”
Checking as G.O is to crosscheck messages preached by your branch & even student pastors occasionally.
Checking is most times asking simple but clear cut questions… not the general “HOW ARE YOU?” which has a default answer: “Fine!”
To Check is to ASK “have you eaten today? Do you have data or credit on your phone? Do you still have up to 3k in your account now? How far with school fees? House rent?
To Check is to NOTICE and then ASK. Yes! Notice if it has been the same old shoe, the same T-shirt or trouser the drummer wears to every midweek service. It’s to notice the fuel gauge of your pastor’s car, the terrible noise from its engine OR the sudden drift into some strange teachings or behaviour. Checking is to notice the silent inferences from the looks and sighs of your spouse and then ASK. To notice the female shoe under the bed of your church’s lead male vocalist who is single and then ask if his younger sister sleeps in? Instead of asking HOW IS YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE…Ask “Is your heart at peace with God?” Did you read your Bible today? When last did you spend quality time in prayer? Is your courtship still free of sexual immorality or fornication??
With the advent of social media, the practice of HOUSE VISITATION (brethren visiting brethren) has largely dwindled. Staying in touch, connecting, being together, following up, sharing moments are now largely online activities…GOOD but let’s settle it here; there’s no online experience that can create the same value of sitting side by side with your friend, sister or mother. No video call can replace the touch of your hands on your mother’s skin. These online things are to enhance and fill in the distance gaps between our physical checks and not to replace it. FOLLOW UP in church cannot now be simply pinging, SMS and phone call. No! That’s why we didn’t discover the true situation of the guy we called NEW MEMBER.
Simply put Checking is occasionally closing your eyes from what you believe it is and substantiating it with fact. VERIFY! CHECK! CONFIRM!
“For Titus not only accepted our appeal, but was so very interested in you that he has gone to visit you of his own accord”. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:17 AMP
“See to it that no one falls short of God’s grace; that no root of resentment springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled…” HEBREWS 12:15 AMP
“And you Philippians know that in the early days of preaching the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone” PHILIPPIANS 4:15 AMP As believers, leaders, friends, family let’s be checking on each other…And you too, be open to checking. Examine yourself too if ye be in the Faith, confess your faults one to another that ye may be healed…. Selah!
Timely Wisdom…Freely Share
Segun Coker
seguncoker@schoolofvirtue.org