Obligation | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Obligation | Previous Challenge Entry
By Elaine Hemingway
11/23/17
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It was supposed to be tame. It was supposed to be friendly. It was not supposed to be strangling itself.

We had called on our neighbours and found as we got out of the car that their baboon, Freddy, was in a perilous situation. In Africa in the late sixties, it was not unusual to rescue or adopt wild animals. Freddy had gone astray in the maize fields when left by his family as a youngster. They had probably not noticed that he was missing in their mad dash up and down the lanes of plants where they were intent on gathering as many cobs as possible. The problem with baboons in maize fields is that they are unaware that in putting one cob under their arms, they are losing the previous one, and hence are not at all popular in the farming community.

Freddy had been fortunate that he wasn’t killed either by the farmer or his dogs, but Peter and Sadie had found him by the side of the road and taken him home. Pete built a sort of tree house, a platform with a roof, but he had failed to train the poor fellow in the manoeuvring of his rope which was wrapped around his neck. He was slowly strangling himself; help was at hand, however! I couldn’t just stand and watch while hubby sauntered off intent on his own agenda. He hadn’t heard my call and was already inside the house, and Freddy appeared to be quickening the process of strangulation.

Untangling him was quite an intricate endeavour and at first, he was quite amenable, probably because breathing was difficult! Then, when I had him freed, his bared his dirty teeth, turned and bit me before I could take my arm out of his way. Chattering angrily he sat on his platform and gave me a baleful look that was not related to gratitude.

Dripping blood I entered our neighbour’s house and was subjected to copious amounts of Dettol together with much berating about being stupid and thoughtless and ‘what did I expect?’ comments.

Now I am no advocate of evolution and my ancestors were not apes but I have to think of our attitudes before we make a decision to accept eternal life. Judging by my own efforts at presenting the gospel I notice that at first there may be some interest shown. This is provided that I don’t persevere and look for a positive response. Hell? A good God would never send good people there! Sin? Why would innocent fun be considered sinful? Compromise? Everybody does it – it can’t be that bad. Condoning? Well, it’s their problem isn’t it, not ours. Murder? Terrorism? Capital punishment? They are all open to debate, but please, not commitment to New Life in Christ! I think that … Opinions flow to counter any comments on Truth.

Oh dear, held captive by the one who rules the present world, when freedom is offered by the One who paid a price in blood and pain, holding out the promise of eternal life with Him.

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel… I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…Romans 1:16,17

Freddy left me with a small scar on my arm, unaware that I cared about his life. Jesus bore for us the scars that bought our freedom - if we care to accept.

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