Mathētēs d Institute MdI

THE WELL OF MADNESS
by
Paulo Coelho
A powerful wizard, who wanted to destroy an entire kingdom, placed a magic potion in the well from which all the inhabitants drank. Whoever drank that water would go mad.
The following morning, the whole population drank from the well and they all went mad, apart from the king and his family, who had a well set aside for them alone, which the magician had not managed to poison.
The king was worried and tried to control the population by issuing a series of edicts governing security and public health.
The policemen and inspectors, however, had also drunk the poisoned water, and they thought the king’s decisions were absurd and resolved to take no notice of them.
When the inhabitants of the kingdom heard these decrees, they became convinced that the king had gone mad and was now giving nonsensical orders. They marched on the castle and called for his abdication.
In despair the king prepared to step down from the throne, but the queen stopped him, saying:
‘Let us go and drink from the communal well. Then we will be the same as them.’
The king and the queen drank the water of madness and immediately began talking nonsense.
Their subjects repented at once; now that the king was displaying such wisdom, why not allow him to continue ruling the country?

Personal Note:
Friends, our world is a stage, a battleground, and so much more to different individuals. Let's be mindful of the ideas we embrace or dismiss, as ideas are not trivial matters. Let's be aware of the language and concepts we employ, as we may inadvertently be nurturing something we do not intentionally endorse.
Do you fear being different, or have you succumbed to the allure of conformity? The Bible advises, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will" (Romans 12:2). This guidance serves as an antidote to the pervasive madness promoted and celebrated in today's world.

AN ANGEL IN THE AIRPORT
Nigeria is no stranger to corrupt practices, and the airport is no exception. Visitors and locals alike have been met with a plethora of horror stories regarding the airport's staff and their heinous acts. These tales range from lost luggage, stolen money, and worse yet, security officials manipulating unsuspecting travelers into situations where bribery is the only option. The airport's workers, including airline employees, vendors, and service providers, have all contributed to the chaos by begging, manipulating, or outright extorting money from travelers. It's important to note that there are a few honest individuals. The story I'd like to share today is of an honest lady at Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos.
It was a particularly hectic week, and I found myself misplacing several crucial documents that I needed to bring with me. As anyone who has traveled during the COVID-19 pandemic can attest, the process of traveling has become much more complex and requires a significant amount of documentation.
Realizing that I needed to print out the missing documents, I headed to the printing stand. Unfortunately, I didn't have any naira notes on me, so I had to transfer the money instead. The lady at the stand was kind enough to provide me with an account number to transfer the funds to, and I did so promptly. However, to my dismay, the transaction failed to process. I had to make another transfer to complete the payment.
Despite the inconvenience, the woman at the stand was incredibly helpful and understanding. She even went so far as to give me her phone number, offering to refund me in case of a double payment. I was surprised by her kindness and accepted the number, feeling grateful for her assistance during a stressful time.
Upon my arrival, I was preoccupied with getting settled down and making arrangements, that it wasn't until the fourth day that I remembered an outstanding promise. Even though I was unsure, I decided to reach out to the lady to remind her of her commitment. To my surprise, she replied promptly, saying, "I have been eagerly waiting to hear from you. Please send me your account details." I was taken aback by the swift response. After sending my account information, I received a notification of a four-thousand-naira (₦4,000) refund within a few minutes. I was in disbelief, and I shared the news with some Nigerian friends. One of them remarked, "This person is an angel in the airport." I couldn't have agreed more.
In a world where the pursuit of quick and easy money is prevalent, there are still people who choose to be a beacon of hope for others. One such person was this lady who knew that I would not be returning any time soon. Despite this, she made the conscious decision to be an angel in that place, spreading positivity and kindness to those around her. I spoke with her and she didn’t think it was anything special, considering that it is a thing she does every day, not extorting people.
Regardless of where you find yourself - whether it be at school, work, or in your community - it's important to remember that you too can be an angel to others. Trust in God to guide you and let your good deeds shine out for all to see, just as the Bible says (Matthew 5:16). By doing so, you have the power to instill hope and faith in those around you, and ultimately make the world a better place.

Remember, angels come in all forms and can be found in all fields, from the Nigerian police, armed forces, teachers, traders, and airport staff. You can be an angel too, spreading joy and kindness wherever you go.

THE BOSSOM, FEET, AND PRESENCE OF THE LORD
I would like to talk about an expression that bothers me. It is not a pleasant one, but my goal is for it to lead us into a sincere and sound retrospection. How many bosoms, feet, and presence of the LORD do we have? I hear these expressions a lot at funerals, where people say "We shall meet at the bosom, feet, or presence of the LORD." That is aside from the testimony we make about the lives of the deceased, which can be misleading to people who do not know the LORD and might think that these wishes would help them. We need to come to terms with the truth.

Our glamorous claims at the graveside do not count in the lives of those who have passed and are only comforting to us. But what do we gain from getting comforted from falsehood? "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment," (Hebrews 9:27), our wishes and prayers at that point do not count. We can make the most of the time we have with them to lead them to the saving knowledge of the LORD.

Dear brothers and sisters, if you are not born again, there is no feet, bosom, or presence of the LORD for you. It is reserved for those who are truly saved. Jesus told Nicodemus and us all that "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3). And for those who are truly born again, the Bible in Revelation has this to say: "And I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' 'Blessed indeed,' says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!'" (Revelation 14:13).

I saw a photo of a write-up posted in front of a church that reads "Come to church and walk with GOD so we don't have to lie at your funeral." It is funny but true. I just wish they had added, "What we say there cannot alter your chosen eternal destiny." Death may come to you and me at any time. Live to secure a blissful eternity, and that is only possible in Christ Jesus. See you at the Feet, Bosom, and Presence of the LORD.

Brethren, as the season is here with us, let's explore again.

A lesson worth learning...

Two Birds and a Frog

“There was once a frog who lived in a pond. But, poor frog, his pond was drying up. If he didn’t find water soon he would die. The frog heard of a stream just over the hill that was full of lots of water.

If only he could get there. Â But, how could he? His short frog legs could not carry him so far away.

So the frog came up with an idea. He convinced 2 birds to carry either end of a stick then he would put his mouth around the stick in the middle and hold on tight until the birds flew him over to the other side. Â Smart thinking Frog!

As they flew in the air, everything was going well. He had good jaws and was able to hold on tight. It was a pretty strange thing to see — two birds and a frog flying through the air.

Looking down, they saw a cow in a pasture. The cow was pretty impressed at what he saw in the sky and yelled up to them “Now, who came up with that idea?”

The frog heard the question and couldn’t resist replying “I diiiiiiid” as he fell from the sky.”
 Author unknown

The moral? Sometimes we let pride get in the way and suffer unfortunate consequences.
You see, it was the frog’s pride that made him open his mouth. It was his idea and he wanted to make sure the cow knew it. But it required 3 of them to make the idea work and his thoughts were only of himself.

“Pride goes before destruction; a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

Copied from https://www.simplynorma.com/2011/04/12/two-birds-and-a-frog/

Two Birds and a Frog

“There was once a frog who lived in a pond. But, poor frog, his pond was drying up. If he didn’t find water soon he would die. The frog heard of a stream just over the hill that was full of lots of water.

If only he could get there. Â But, how could he? His short frog legs could not carry him so far away.

So the frog came up with an idea. He convinced 2 birds to carry either end of a stick then he would put his mouth around the stick in the middle and hold on tight until the birds flew him over to the other side. Â Smart thinking Frog!

As they flew in the air, everything was going well. He had good jaws and was able to hold on tight. It was a pretty strange thing to see — two birds and a frog flying through the air.

Looking down, they saw a cow in a pasture. The cow was pretty impressed at what he saw in the sky and yelled up to them “Now, who came up with that idea?”

The frog heard the question and couldn’t resist replying “I diiiiiiid” as he fell from the sky.”
 Author unknown

The moral? Sometimes we let pride get in the way and suffer unfortunate consequences.
You see, it was the frog’s pride that made him open his mouth. It was his idea and he wanted to make sure the cow knew it. But it required 3 of them to make the idea work and his thoughts were only of himself.

“Pride goes before destruction; a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

Copied from https://www.simplynorma.com/2011/04/12/two-birds-and-a-frog/

The foremost task given to each of us is the need to deliberately seek to mould rightly the lives of those God brings our way, particularly those placed under our care through birth or other privileges. This is key to all forms of true transformation. Charity of of course begins at home.