UNGRATEFUL MAN OF GOD Part 4

CHAPTER SIX Though the church had sounded warnings into Jasper's ears severally about how his new found contract was telling on his family yet Jasper will not listen. He had also threatened to leave the church severally, taking along with him all the money and influence he brought to the church to another church, thinking the church will recline their decisions because he is the hightest sponsor of church activities. Nevertheless his tithe was pretty high but the church is in the business of watching over souls and not counting money and building houses. Jasper visited Tobi his friend who is a bank MD. He entered the modern looking office with modern gadgets. After exchanging pleasantries, Jasper sat in the roller black sit facing Tobi who had suspended the work he was doing with his laptop to pay attention to Jasper. "Jasper you look pale, what's going on." Tobi asked looking concerned. "Mehn, I was suspended from The Deacon board and was given two weeks suspension in my church." Jasper said, he couldn't hold it back because Tobi is his good friend. "Do they still suspend people in the church, I thought that's an age long practice. This is modern times." Tobi said perplexed. "My own church dey suspend people ooo. " Jasper said with his hands on the brown mahogany table. "You are a delight for every church, every church would want to have You. That church really do not appreciate you upon all you did for them." His friend said. Jasper knew that wasn't what he needed to hear but that was all he wanted to hear. Somehow he missed his wife, she tells him the bitter truth. Though he didn't like the truth, his ego fights it often times but it keeps him sane. "Mehn depending on how you look at it, that church have tried for me? My children are exceptional, they excel in their endeavours and I know it's beyond academics. It's the kind of information the church gives them" Jasper answered, his wife had called him before then to sound big warning to his ears and to remind him that he had not been evaluating properly the benefits he had been making from the church. He think his tithe and seed offering can replace life and family building the church is doing for his family and the society. "Your children attend the best schools and you are an intelligent man, they inherited your gene. Why give church all the credit?" Tobi argued, that comment aroused his ego a bit and made him suspect the things his wife had said to him. Maybe his wife had fallen to the pastor's spell truly for her to have undermined the facts Tobi was raising to only defend the pastor. Jasper needed a good excuse to wave off the sense of guilt that had began to build within him. Tobi continued "Why would they suspend you for not coming to church for one month. In my church, you don't need to attend services at all, just pay your tithe electronically and come when you have the time. Church attendance is meant for people who don't have serious things to do and not people like us biko." Tobi argued, he was eyeing the money deposits of hundreds of millions Jasper keeps with the bank, which boasts his monthly returns and earn him promotions. He doesn't want his right decisions to tamper with that money. One by one Tobi was pulling away the pillars of Jasper's faith. He returned to his home and decided to leave the church. Some members followed him, while other members secretly kept contacts with him waiting for what may fall out of his generous hands. He is the big man and his money makes him attractive. Jasper brgan to attend Tobi's church and saw the difference. The word of God was interpreted in the surface without depth. The church was occurred with unserious youths and adults who cared only about themselves, their money and not kingdom conscious. He saw how the new church rallied around him and respected him, obviously not for his values and integrity but because of his millions. They waved off a lot of things out of his way to make him feel comfortable and convenient being in the church. He had tasted an ideal church and knew how it is, coming to this one that gave fluff superficial sermons that took away his cross and gave him a feather cross made him uncomfortable. *** CHAPTER SEVEN Pastor was in his office with a deacon. "Pastor Femi please be strong. Despite what you did to that man called Jasper, yet he decided to leave the church. " Deacon Ejiro said. "My dear, he wanted an easy life, he thought that will make him happy and now he had gotten the easy life he wanted, let's see if he will truly be happy. I just wonder why his son didn't join him" Elder Louis said. "He allowed his wife to take his son to our church instead because he fear the influence he will pick up while attending his current church. Deacon Ejiro stated. A news statement flashed on the TV hanging on the white wall, they directed their attention to it. They were busy watching the news and they saw the police correspondence speaking. "Today is a great day in the history of police. Zerox, a drug syndicate had been brought down, we thank our team and a well meaning Nigerian who helped us get this victory. Pastor Femi was astonished. He was glad evil was going down. *** Jasper was sitting in the DSS chief office. The office was small yet neat. It has a desk, chair and window, the window serve as a view to see life as they play out. And doing his kind of work without an ability to see nature and let his eyes stretch into the distance would make the work impossible. The DSS Chief officer was always ready with a broad smile and a kind word. "Thank you Mr Jasper for the intelligence. Without it. We wouldn't have cleared this mess." The DPO said "You are welcome DSS Chief, I am a patriotic citizen." Jasper replied in response. "Are you aware that this drug Lord had escaped the traps of USA and other big countries, these big nations would be respecting our forces by now." DSS Chief said. "Thank you for protecting my family." Jasper thanked. "You played your role very well, you kept the mission a top secret, even though it tore your family apart and you got suspension from the church. Many would not have stood the pressure and now look at the glory." DSS Chief said. "That's true sir, let me go reunite with my family." Jasper replied as he stood up to leave. "Don't worry we have sent a team to speak with your Pastor Femi. So you can return to church, good church man." DSS chief announced before Mr Jasper left his office Jasper was stepping out from the DSS chief office when he saw his wife. He ran an hugged her. "Jasper why didn't you tell me you were working with the police." Mrs Jasper asked weary. "If I did you would have been dead by now" Jasper rubbed the hair of his 12 year old son as they exited the police station.