I remember it was on 26th of February 2020, that Wednesday morning amidst the excruciating tension of the upcoming and dreaded Physiology test when everything finally fell apart at the College of Medicine, UNEC.
That morning at Physiology Auditorium, students were seated legally and illegally with a majority standing like refugees whose community had just been ravaged by an epidemic.
The rest of the student population notably known as Marlians were stationed outside of the hall conversing with reckless abandon and taking pictures with their College uniform which they would later upload on Facebook to remind their village people they are now in the College of Medicine.
The situation inside the lecture hall, “oh sorry” I mean hot air oven was unbearable with the whole auditorium emulsified with the famous harsh Enugu heat with the capability of baking butter pie.
It seemed as if the class is on the balcony of hell or most probably the last person that entered hell must have forgotten to lock the door.
“Blow fast and give me” I beckoned out of frustration on my coursemate Precious to give me her hand fan which she got as a gift from one of the SUG Vice Presidential candidates.
The lecture for the day was “Anaemia” by Professor Bob. Midway into the lecture as Prof was explaining the differences between “acute and chronic anaemia” everything fell apart.
I looked around to see if I was the only victim of the weapon of mass destruction that had greeted my nose.
“Alas! I was vindicated.” The expression on the face of the lady seated by my side was epic as her face was modelled like that of a monkey that had just licked lime.
Someone had released a gaseous substance unfortunately aided by facilitated diffusion to the nook and crannies of the auditorium.
I got the impulse to curse the donor of the mess but then I remembered my famous donation way back in 2018. “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”
Men! people who experienced that encounter suffered from respiratory collapse with complications that I had to even run away from my invention. This was more like a throwback of that mess.
“Who did this?” Prof queried with amusement. “This mess must belong to a female” he added as the whole class busted into flames of laughter.
Someone quickly shouted, “Mad Oh.”
Indeed, the mess was feminine as one could perceive the gentle motion, spicy Mei-shai taste and Lady Ibiam-ness in it.
I took a glance in an attempt to implicate any of the ladies seated at the front of the class “for where” they all put up an innocent face looking all radiant in their clinical gown.
But then, there was something special about the mess I couldn’t get enough of as I eagerly wanted to figure it out.
Continuing into the lecture, I got lost in my thoughts with the supposed mess of honour.
Just like the mess of honour, we are supposed to as Christians move ubiquitously, penetrating the heart and influencing people we encounter in the journey of life.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:13-14 “You are the salt of the earth…
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Just like the mess, our presence cannot be unnoticeable because there is a fire that is supposed to be ablaze in our hearts.
It is this fire, burden and innate passion that makes us announce Jesus anywhere we find ourselves.
We must never let the aroma of evangelism leave our garment because it is through this fragrance that men are drawn to the kingdom.
Just like the mess of honour, we must be distinct and creative as children of God almighty.
Everybody could decipher the gender of the mess donor and the nature of the mess because it was tinged with all shades of distinctiveness.
It was no ordinary mess so also our fragrance cannot be ordinary.
Proverbs 22:29 says “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”
If we must mess it for the lord, we just have to mess it very well with the assurance that the fragrance gets to all those around us and they get a taste of its greatness.
Just like the mess of honour, we must never allow our fragrance to be confined to a particular place or atmosphere.
We must ensure that the aroma gets to the nook and crannies of the auditorium of our lives and anybody that enters must perceive it.
The fragrance of Christians is evangelism and that is why Jesus tells us in Mark 16:15 “He said to them, go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
In order words, we must go into the world and ensure that the fragrance of the gospel is perceived through us. People should be able to perceive Christ through our activities and lifestyle.
Mess is an honourable physiological process geared towards ensuring good health.
Just like the mess, we must never be ashamed of our identity, the world must perceive him via our lives being a platform for the exaltation of God’s glory. Just like the mess of honour…
“Anybody who can tell me the causes of chronic anaemia will get five hundred naira.” Prof pronounced as I jerked back to reality.
That was exactly the amount I needed to solve all my stomach problems for the remainder of the week at least on an Okpa diet.
I raised my hand but unfortunately, Prof beckoned on another student to answer the question and the chap did not disappoint and got the prize.
“What a mess, that would have been me” I cursed under my breath.
“That will be the end of today’s lecture and good luck in your test,” Prof said as the class gave a thunderous clap offering.
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Thanks, Ayanfe,
I’m glad to hear from you.