Getting bounced sucks...

Being bounced is not a good feeling. Especially when you’re me. ME!!!! I mean I’m too cool for school, in my own eyes that is :p. The untouchable, the incredible hunkess, the babe…. The…. You get my point?

So I was traveling with my brother-in-law. Thanks to him, I didn’t have to join the long queues at Murtala Mohammad airport. I just rode on his back/ticket, through a fast track check-in and immigration, even with my depressing coach ticket. That little detail was ignored by the officials. That's why i love Nigeria(sometimes)

I got into the BA lounge with him. Me feeling nice, and sort of forgetting that the fact that we lounge together, doesn't mean we would seat together on the plane, forgetting that there would be a separation when we boarded. And so I ate and drank a little too much from the buffet selection. I was going to enjoy my moment in there. I ignored the call for boarding like those in the lounge, and casually boarded with them when the queue disappeared. That’s when the reality hit me, he turned left and I turned right all the way to the back of the plane, squeezing my way through to my coach seat :(.

We got to heathrow and i picked myself up again, ready to ride on bro-in-law's back again, confidently going into the first/gold member arrival lounge. He was going to freshen up before heading home, and I planned on stuffing myself with food while I waited.

O boy, the bouncing I got. Those people refused to accommodate me, only him. I was stunned. Even with my smile, and the subtle plea. BA would not let me lounge for a few minutes. I missed naija system bad at that moment, where you only have to frown, or smile at the lady in front, depending on her mood, and she would concede to letting your guest in(because she doesn't want to get in trouble with the big man, and she wants a tip too)... 

That’s how I was bounced out. With a heavy heart I let him go in to do what he had to do and I went down to wait with the masses, fuming at the thought of hot chocolate from costa... a far cry from the choice selection i was targeting at the lounge. Fact that I could ride on his ticket and pass through security and into the lounge in Nigeria didn’t mean I could enjoy the same previlege on the plane and in London.

Getting bounced is not a good feeling. Not only is it embarrassing, it is embarrassing, and embarrassing, and some more embarrassment added to that. Just messes up your plans.

Or maybe with all the fame you enjoy in your circle of friends, and all the money you have, you get bounced out of some club... You see people you roll with walk in, and just as you pop your collars, ready to step in, and give the club some huge profits, the bouncer stands in the way. Something about you looks like you're not worthy of being in their 'prestigious' club. What were you thinking wearing baggy jeans/baseball hat/sportswear to a place where everyone is expected to dress in smart pants, shoes and jackets et co? Not even your money can save you at that point, rules are rules. .

source:http://2.bp.blogspot.com

Today, we are riding on the shoulders and spirituality of our pastors, we've climbed the back of the church groups we belong to, used our offerings and tithes as a perfect cover in our less than perfect walk. Relied so much on the titles the church hands over to us, we've used this to scale through the worlds security system that is weak in seeing the truth beyond the physical. It's reliance on 'religion' rather than 'salvation' has made us get away with neglecting our spiritual life. All these things give us acceptance in the world… like the Nigerian factor, no questions asked as long as we are with the 'big' man/pastors, or hiding within the confines of these things. 

So we rely on the activities and affiliations, forgetting to work out our own salvation. We are taken over by a followership and adoration of our pastor, being members of the big and visible churches, being in one church committee or the other, and attending the church events. We have forgotten to "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling" Philippians 2:12 because we have found rest in the tickets/salvation of others/church activities. 

I'm only riding on my blog posts if i don't practice what i preach. It all means nothing if people see me as this born again christian from what they read here. It's an invalid ticket/a coach ticket is all it is, if i don't work out my own salvation beyond the things i feel led to share.(now that's a somewhat scary thought)

But a time of separation comes "...and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”Mttw 25:32

That’s when it hits us, that’s when we realize that all along we didn’t have our upper-class tickets, we were blinded because the world judged us based on the people we followed, they viewed us as saved because we followed our pastor everywhere, and sang in the choir, and gave huge donations for the church building. We forgot that we were going to a land where no compromise is accepted, you either hold your own ticket or first/gold card or get out of the lounge. There would be no guest, no +1 allowed in.

At the pearly gate we realize that the show we put up, the things we impressed people with, is not enough to get us in, it may have given us a pass in the world like the naija factor, and we may have enjoyed the feast that comes with the 'religious' titles, but it certainly doesn’t mean heaven will open to us.

Don’t be bounced out of heaven. Work our your salvation with fear and trembling, pay the prize and make the sacrifices to get your own ticket. Your pastor cannot sneak you in, being in the choir still doesn’t qualify, your wife's fasting, your mothers prayers, and your father's devotion to God is not going to get you in.  

"Then those who grew up 'in the faith' but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened." Matthew 8:12(the message)