Wonders, they say will never end. What you are about to read is the naked truth of what happened to a man who paid dearly for comparing his wife to another woman. Being genuine believers, they were given all the necessary counselling on the rudiments of marriage before they eventually got married after three years of well monitored courtship. Their marriage was heaven on earth. Friends called them lovebirds because they were so much in love that they were always together.
After their third child, Mr Akin (a fictional name) got a job as a senior manager in a very good company, with an accompanying matching salary. He was given a well-equipped executive office, a posh car and unfortunately a very seductive and dress to kill secretary. The smell of her perfume will linger in his office even after she had departed for hours. There was no problem as long as Mr Akin did not allow his gaze to dwell unnecessarily on his secretary’s face or her well structured physique. But on this fateful day he could not help feasting his eyes on the secretary’s alluring face and physique, because according to her she has received a phone call from her fiancé that they should halt their journey of love; so, when she came to give her boss a typed document, he instantly noticed her swollen red face. He had to ask her what was wrong, not knowing that, that would herald the beginning of his doom.
In his bid to console his secretary he took her out for lunch. Before long, their relationship had blossomed from a casual one to an intensely close one. No sooner than the relationship assumed a new colour that he started comparing his wife’s beauty and physique to his secretary’s. Since the secretary was not a born-again Christian, she saw nothing wrong in dating her married boss. She so much relished the idea that she would bring food from home which they both shared. And that was when Mr Akin noticed again that she was a better cook than his wife of fifteen years. He also observed that his wife is always mindful of the way he dressed to work, especially when they were going out on a date. Aside all those comparisons, he found that he was more comfortable in company of his secretary who he believed was very intelligent and knowledgeable about a lot of things, unlike his wife whose conversation is not witty because everything she said revolved round God, according to him. He finally concluded that his wife was a bore, and as a result he started spending all his spare time with his alluring secretary.
As you know what is bred in the bone will eventually come out in the flesh. One day his wife saw a .lipstick on his shirt and enquired how he got it since he didn’t not patronise public transport. Mr Akin flared up! His wife however was not intimidated by his outburst of anger. She accused him of cheating on her, which was true because his relationship with his secretary had already blossomed into a sleazy love affair. He slapped his wife and eventually beat her up. Nonetheless, in spite of Mr Akin’s response, his wife stood her ground. She stated some fact which her husband failed to perceive in his bizarre world. She accused him of keeping late nights, rarely eating at home, his disdained look and actions towards her, and that he had become a total stranger to their children because they hardly saw him.
Do you know there is no fool like an old fool? After that confrontation, rather than repent and put a check on such sinful acts, particularly the root of all his sinful acts, which was adultery, Mr Akin threw all caution to the winds. He resolved to teach his wife a lesson on respect. He had forgotten that respect begets respect. He trampled upon the marriage covenant he made with his wife. If he had known that he that lies down with dogs will get up with fleas, he would not have paid deaf hears to his wife’s warning because nemesis soon caught up with him.
Sometime later, Mr Akin noticed that he had a persistent stomach cramp that defied every medication he applied. His doctor had to tell him to go for a scan, and it was discovered that his liver had been badly damaged beyond recovery. The unexpected disease jolted him back to reality. He later admitted his folly; he compared his wife’s look, cooking, dressing and intellect to another woman’s. Nevertheless, he couldn’t turn back the clock. The terrible deed had been done and could not be undone. He kept muttering, ‘Had I known! Had I known!. Will he survive the deadly disease? Only time will tell, because he was so weak, that he could barely speak.
He gave room to the devil to have a field day in his life. He did not only break the sacred marriage covenant between him and his wife, but also dishonoured God’s instructions: ‘You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart’ (Matthew 5 vs 27-28). Likewise, Romans 12 vs 1-2 says: ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. 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.’
When did Mr Akin miss it? He missed it the day he started taking his wife’s love and efforts to build their homes for granted. How did he miss it? He did so by comparing his wife’s attributes to another woman’s, as well as not letting her know his likes and dislikes. He failed to guard his heart, for out of his heart came issues that controlled his life. He was bitten by the serpent, for whoso breaks an edge, a serpent shall bite (Eccl 10 vs 8). Besides, ‘Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? So is he who’ commits the sin of adultery (Proverbs 6 vs 27-28). We pray that the Lord will enable us through his Spirit to walk according to his precept, for what will it profit a man/woman to gain the whole world but lose his/her soul.
Author: TM Odion
