Wounded Pilgrim 8

HELP YOUR BROTHER

“Pastor I would appreciate if you went direct to your point so I can know what it’s that you require of me”, Bartholomew said because he was getting impatient with what pastor was saying. He wanted to kill the panic in him quickly and what the pastor was saying to him at that particular time was sort of accelerating his panic instead of giving him pleasure as the pastor had thought. He could hear people conversing outside but the voices were sort of faint.
“Okay I love young men like you who catch my points quickly that I don’t have to struggle with a whole composition to put my point across.” Pastor said laughing softly. “Anyway it’s about having you as the chairperson for Brother Eliezer’s wedding as I had started to tell you earlier on.”
This came as a shock to Bartholomew as he did not expect that pastor would be calling him to the office to tell him about that. However it was as a relief to him since it was better tragedy than being implicate of God knows what.

“I hope you will be of help to us like you did at that other funeral we had recently. You know how it is hard to get money from people especially those who have pledged and are not honoring their pledges” the pastor went on.
“Pastor I appreciate so much for your time that you have taken to call me to your office to tell me about it. I would like sometime to go think over it” Bartholomew said.
“Ahaa No! My brother you better give me an answer now whether it is a Yes or No so that we can make arrangements in good time” Pastor persisted. Just then a knock was heard at the door and pastor gladly replied to the knock, “Come in.” It was Brother Eliezer and Sister Happiness who were being ushered in to the office.
“Please have a seat we were just discussing about you when you knocked at the door. Bartholomew was just about to tell me how he intends to help you as the chairman in the wedding committee.” The pastor went on. Eliezer and Happiness were visibly happy.
“Pastor am sorry to disappoint you but I have not agreed to take up the mantle of chairmanship of a wedding committee” Bartholomew said abruptly suddenly causing the three in the room who were smiling to wear a serious face and turn to Bartholomew.
“Please give us the reason why you won’t helping a brother in need and an old friend?” That was pastor asking. It appeared that Eliezer was not comfortable with the question.
“If he is not going to help let him be as we look for someone else” Eliezer was not ready for any embarrassment especially in a pastor’s office. However pastor was curious to know the reason why Bartholomew was refusing such a task which in other occasion people took them up voluntarily. It was evident Eliezer was secretive person whom after the church service greeted a few people before leaving. At times he even left the church at about noon when the preacher was just beginning to conclude his sermon. A few people knew him on a personal level let alone knowing his name.

So when he announced his engagement a few Sundays ago many were taken aback that a person quite like him had gotten a nice sister to marry. Forming a wedding committee in itself had not been easy for him. Had he not been wise enough to use a few deacons he would have used his reservist behavior for the wedding expenses. So collecting the pledges was just but another mountain to overcome. People required someone to push them into honoring their pledges otherwise they would be using bible verses and famous quotes to defend themselves like “God will Provide” or “Let’s trust in the Lord” and such like statements that were often being used to give people false hope when real action was required. For instance if one needed to go to church and had no fare, praying alone for God to provide and not going out to look for fare or communicating to someone about it was just like nothing. No wonder not many people like to be that faith without works is dead.

“Pastor you will excuse me I have my own personal reasons that will prevent me this time from chairing such a committee.” Bartholomew said after being silent for quite some time thinking of the proper words to use on him. He wanted to also take a back bencher’s role in such matters and allow others to lead in such activities. Eliezer felt relieved as he heard Bartholomew begin to decline to give his reasons. Happiness on the other hand was lost in her own fantasy world of things. She was probably looking at the clothes at a clothes shop in her mind.

“That is very heart breaking but I will accept it anyhow” the pastor said sadly as he tried to look for a clue in the eyes of Bartholomew. “In that you will excuse us so that we can proceed with a certain discussion with these two.”
As Bartholomew left the office he felt a winner and for those who saw him including Deacon Musa that he had met bon his way in the pastor’s officer was getting curios.