Chuka Chiezie
Sep 8, 2018 · 5 min read
IF GOD DID NOT LOVE ME, I AM CERTAIN I WON’T BE HONEST WITH HIM.

IF GOD DID NOT LOVE ME, I AM CERTAIN I WON’T BE HONEST WITH HIM

Woman: (Shouting) Come here Elizabeth, did you wash those clothes I asked you to wash?

Elizabeth: Yes, I did ma, they are in the wash basin because it seems it’s about to rain ma

Woman: (shuffling through the clothes) these clothes are not dry, when did you wash the clothes? Did you wash them when I asked you to wash them?

Elizabeth: Yes, I did ma, I washed it as you instructed me

Woman: So why are they still wet? you are lying to me again, right?

Elizabeth: (Shaking hysterically) I am not lying to you Ma. I swear I washed it the moment I finished cleaning the house and washing the dirty plates in the kitchen

Woman: But you just said to me that you washed it when I asked you to wash it. Was it not this morning I asked you do it?

Elizabeth: Yes, ma and I did it in the morning after I finished with my house works, maybe it is because the sun did not shine very well today that is why they did not dry properly.

Woman: How dare you to tell me that Elizabeth? Are you the sun or are you stupid or you think I am stupid? I do not know what I am talking about (Slaps Elizabeth). You just know how to tell lies. Kneel down there, I will deal with you until I make sure I get the truth out of you today (Woman walks out hastily to get a Whip)

Elizabeth: (Crying) Ma, I am very sorry, I won’t do it again but I washed the clothes after I finished my housework

Woman: Screaming and whipping the girl. So, you know you lied, when will you ever stop lying? Next time you try this with me, you know what will happen. Get out of here, stupid thing!

The incident I witnessed and narrated above, reminded me of my time at one of the former places I worked some years ago. Believe me, I was very glad to resign following the plans I already outlined. However, I wish my resignation came earlier due to certain vices I had imbibed following the toxic work environment I found myself in. I guess what made me stay so long was the fact that I had my goals in mind to learn as much as I needed and wanted not minding what I was put through to achieve objectives I had set annually. Thinking about this, after watching the incident that played out between Elizabeth and her Madam, I wondered why I let myself go through those trying times (Jesus, I lied almost every day those years I worked in that Organisation, I mean it, Years). At certain times, I had tried narrating some happenings to some of my friends despite being grateful for the opportunity I was given through employment at that organisation, they felt, I chose to tell lies when I was confronted but I urge you to think deeper, considering the narrative above:

1. How many times as parents we have made our children so scared that they lie because they do not want to be hit? We sometimes cajole them with promises that no harm will come to them if they tell the truth and do terrible things to them when they eventually tell us the truth.

2. How many times have you had to lie to your boss using your dead parents who may have died years ago or used the health of your child because you do not want to come clean to tell your boss that you have an exam to write because he clearly shows that he is opposed to your self-development?

3. How many times have you made your house helps or Domestic Staff think about safest corners because they know that the truth will either get them pay cuts or the hitting of their lives?

4. How many times have you heard that some criminals had to admit to crimes they did not commit because they have been tortured to the point that they preferred death?

Lilly an American Lady working with Heartland Alliance told me she was in Nigeria as an experienced practitioner of human rights to address issues that have to do with what I call terrible human treatments. She gave highlights about some of the works she did in Iraq where suspects were tortured until they admitted to crimes they did not commit. One of her objectives at that time was to appeal to the government to use other methods in their investigations and interrogations; like forensics, discussions using professionals that could earn trust to enable suspects confess as well as other methods of interviews and it worked better according to some of the results she shared.

I am not totally opposed to torture when it is ascertained that criminals have been found guilty of crimes committed but I am opposing treatments that make people live dishonest lives because they live in fear. Lucky Dube in one is his tracks Games said “If I tell you lies, you call me a good man” but the question is, should things be so?

God the maker of all things in this world, knows that as humans, we will err, He knows we will do terrible things, in fact, He knows all things, He doesn’t need investigations to know what we do, He even knows our motives, yet he does not confront us using whips to get the truth out of us. And we are honest to God or should I say, I am honest to God because he loves me so much to tolerate the truth from me. Why can’t man made in God’s image treat fellow men better to make sure they become better people? We have recreated ourselves rather to punish people for the truth and embrace lies making our society worse as every day goes by.

My vision is a tall one, like some friends of mine, posit that they may never come to fruition ‘A SOCIETY WHERE PEOPLE CAN BE HONEST BECAUSE WE LOVE THEM’ but we can begin somewhere I guess; PLAY DOWN ON THOSE TORTURES, PLAY DOWN ON THOSE WHIPS, PLAY DOWN ON THOSE TOXIC WORDS AND HELP PEOPLE EMBRACE THE TRUTH HOWEVER DIFFICULT IT MAY SOUND.

Keep in mind like me that IF GOD DIDN’T LOVE ME OR US, WE WON’T BE HONEST WITH HIM. You too can be a little like God because we were made in his image.

Have a Sweet September and More grace in your endeavours.

Chuka Chiezie

A graphics Artist, Publishers and Brand Apprentice with Jewel Publishers. On others hand, A Supply Chain Professional and Visionary Nigerian.

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