Have you heard of the popular story about the two professional fishermen and the two amateurs?  It was a still night; there was no moonlight to light the sky and shine on the river. These two    fishermen went on fishing. With a great prospect of a good weather, they hoped for a great catch. Unfortunately however, throughout the night, these people could not pick even a dead crab. Early next morning, as they were paddling their canoe back to the base to dry their nets and rest for the next turn, they saw two young boys fishing with hook and line. It was incredibly amazing. In a shallow turbulent water, these young boys were making a great catch. The fishermen could not help but draw close to the boys to understand the secret.

“Hello boys, we’ve fished in this river throughout the night but we could not pick even a dead crab” the two fishermen chorused, “having seen you make a great catch with your hook and line is really a mystery, can you tell us the secret?” The two young amateurs innocently turned and pointed at a rotten wood behind them and said, “There we found some worms that are used for bate”. Upon drawing closer to the rotten log, these fishermen quickly learnt that the worms were really a brood of vipers newly hatched. These fishermen ran back to the boys and asked them to show their hands, and really, these little vipers have given these boys some bites, but since the venom was not yet devastating as that of a big viper, they never understood the damage. Moreover their catch convinced them that there was a success.

The fishermen without any delay explained to these boys the implication of what they have just done and rushed them to the hospital. By the time they got to the hospital, the hands have started swelling up and the doctor further explained that two more of these bites could have equalled the venom of an adult viper. These boys were treated and saved from dying.

Intriguing story! Yes, nevertheless more of an intriguing experience, perhaps your experience. It may not yet have occurred to you that the little manipulations you do to pass your exam is equal to poking your hand in a rotten wood to pick a small viper for a catch. If you don’t realize it now, it is the venom of this sin that will one day kill you and there will be no one to enjoy what you call success (Jn 8:24).

You wonder why some people have passed through the office you are in now without making great riches. You are set out to explore it by all means and display affluence. Have you ever imagined catching a life viper to turn into a bate on your hook? You may eventually make a catch, but think of what will happen to you in the next 24 hours.

My beautiful young lady, your patrons have gingered your swagger and you are feeling on top of the world. You become so sophisticated and you are looking larger than life; more than your lecturers, classmates etc. You are in fact, the bread winner of your family now, so no one can dare correct you. You attend all manner of parties, drink, fornicate and smoke. You go to the church with less reverence to God, and dance your night stress out through the great beatings and melodies of the band. Probably going to church has become one of the social obligations so, right in the church; you still give some holy kisses. If I am to be sincere to you, I would say, “you are a joker.” Begin to think right now of what you are doing to your life. Some of you use holy language to cheat and steal. You wear flagrant dresses to church on Sunday and give testimonies even about things God did not give you. Can you have a rethink with these scriptures 2Timothy 3:1-9?

You may choose to merry yourself to the fullest, as you may call it, but remember Solomon’s conclusion about life (Eccl 11:8-10).They may have promised you prosperity, popularity and protection. Good! All these are mild ways of using vipers for bate but the truth still remains that if you don’t realize it now, your tomorrow will be in a messy state. What will you gain by exchanging your life with these things (Matt 16:26).

In the case of these young boys, they were fortunate to be discovered by people who understood well the implications of their folly. Moreover, the boys were ready to cooperate: they sincerely revealed their secret and accepted to be taken to the physician.

How I wish you won’t turn down the offer of help now that you have understood a little of what you are doing to yourself. Or would you still be obstinate and behave like a man who exchanged his legs for the most costly pair of shoes and never again had the legs to wear shoes? The choice is yours now. Jesus said in Rev 3:20. “Here I am! I stand on the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

Will you now forsake your ways and accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour? Right!

Confess your sin to God in heaven and pray this prayer: Lord Jesus! I’m a sinner, but I have come to you today. I forsake my old ways and accept you as my only Lord and Saviour. Accept me in your father’s kingdom. Please remove my name from the book of death and put it in the book of life. Wash me in your blood and I will be clean. Lord God, thank you for hearing my prayers, in Jesus name.

Amen.

V. C. Onu