A Thief in Paradise?

We all basked in the splendor of the Easter season; some celebrating it in church, while others used it as an opportunity to recoup from a stressful week. The emphasis was on the man of Galilee, the only begotten son of God and the first born amongst many brethren. However, we missed a man – the thief to His right. We have no record of his life, yet we know one thing, he spoke with respect to the man in the middle and got himself a ticket to paradise.

Can you imagine the look on the faces of the angels when he shows up at heaven’s gate? I wish I could too. He got in not because he lived right nor believed Jesus was the son of God, but because he spoke with respect and the Lord told him to come. “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” Imagine that! None of his earthly actions mattered: his faith was inconsequential. He had a direct invite from the creator Himself.

Now, contrast this “thief” with Joshua, the commander of Israel’s army in Joshua 5:13-15. He also met with a strange personality under abnormal circumstances. However, he took a careless route and spoke carelessly. The outcome of his speech was that Israel had to match round Jericho once for six days and seven times on the seventh day with their mouth shut. Israel had a spiritual army and a physical army. The spiritual is superior to the physical placing the spiritual commander above Joshua. Israel had to match with their mouths shut so they could hear the matching orders of the spiritual side. Alignment between both armies of Israel was achieved on the seventh day. When Israel shouted, the spiritual army trampled the walls of Jericho to the ground.

What can we learn from this? Our mouth can make or mare us. Little wonder it is written – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof “. Let our words be seasoned with grace, do not circumnavigate life talking carelessly to anyone you see. Accord due respect to all whether small or great. In your offices, on the road, please respect people. Love, treasure and value everyone you see for you can never tell from whence God would send help.

What if I am taking for granted? I knew you would ask this. The onion is on us to act right. Where disrespect is our gain, we have liberty to engage the law or excuse ourselves from the vicinity. Remember, the only wise God said “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves”. He also asked “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruits but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” On this worry not on the response of men, but focus on reflecting and glorifying your Father who is in heaven.

In conclusion, as the thief spoke his way into paradise, you can enunciate your way into glory. For we having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written: I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe and therefore speak. Speak respectably and watch God change your level day by day.

Light, Love, and Life

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