THE DEVIL IS YOU

This is a piece which depicts how people's flaws develop to cause their downfalls. We then turn to blame the devil whiles our flaw caused it.

THE DEVIL IS YOU
A Controversial but Introspect-driven piece.

The very moment I planned of writing a piece dubbed 'The Devil is you', the only thing which came to mind was the controversy it would spawn. However, I believed strongly that, the reader may come to terms with me after reading this piece to the end. One may ask why I should be comparing the devil to man. The devil others will say is not worth comparing with man, on grounds that, Man is not of and from the devil. The devil another will say man is not worth comparing with on grounds of the former's deed. It may be true from an angle. However, Man is the devil. Man becomes the devil but takes stages to reach that level. But how? Man gradually moves through the stages unaware. The sad aspect of it all is the fact that, He(man) becomes the devil himself.

The first stage of becoming a devil is 'FLAW'. A Flaw is simply a fault in someone's character. I for one believe every Individual has a flaw. How about you? Flaw doesn't know class, status and what have you. Like a disease, flaw comes in different forms. A flaw which affects one may not affect another. You have a big flaw which is eating you up gradually. Don't you steal? Don't you covet? Don't you Gossip? Are you not a recalcitrant? Are you not a lover of money? Are you not a womanizer? Are you not arrogant? Don't you envy people because of their success? just to mention few. Everybody has a fault. That very flaw directs and manipulates you everywhere you go. You may not know but when the time comes for it to be exhibited, It becomes very simple. Which of the flaws aforementioned are you clinched to or which flaw do you have but has not been mentioned?

The next stage is 'FAILURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ONE'S FLAW'
This stage plays a major role in making that devil in you possible. People refuse to accept mistakes in life, which goes a long way to perpetuate their flaws unaware. People hate to be rebuked and admonished. We always need people who will extol us even when we go astray. We therefore view those who rebuke us as enemies but with little or no idea of how those who extol us facilitate the devil in us.
You Gossip about people the slightest opportunity you get, but refuse to do that when those you call enemies are around. They(the enemies) prevent you from gossiping. If I were you, I would want them to be around always but you rather need people who will help perpetuate that flaw. Sometimes, Our Instincts rebuke us anytime our flaws lead us but we ignore, since we need no one to prevent us from continuing it. Funny enough, you criticize other people's flaws but look dagger at people who rebuke yours.
The flaw here now becomes a fatal disease. When you fall ill, your body cells begin to malfunction , sending message to your brain that, you are not well. Those cells become your instincts and 'enemies'. They bring to your notice of a flaw in your character. In so doing, they help you to get it diagnosed, But when you fail to acknowledge the fact that there is a flaw, you can not get it diagnosed. Yes, when your cells are informing you of illness in your body and you refuse to give them an ear, you will not take the step to diagnose what really is in your body. The flaw then becomes a disease which has not been diagnosed.

The next stage is 'INABILITY TO FIGHT THE FLAW'
Since you could not acknowledge your flaw, It becomes very difficult for you to fight it. You refused to accept the fact that you were ill, how then do you go about diagnosing let alone cure? The flaw then keeps mounting as it finds a place in you to lay comfortably. The flaw becomes a canker as its position becomes impregnable. A time or day may come when you really need to control it in order to get something done perfectly, but will become very difficult. You were told before but refused to accept. In so doing, you conveyed a message to your brain that, you were impeccable. Consequently, nothing was really found to fight. It continues to mount to a crescendo when you decide to give up on it. The disease you refused to acknowledge had escalated. When that happens, you may not be able to even tell what the symptoms are. It may be too late when you are sent to the hospital after allowing the disease to eat you up before visiting there. So at this juncture, your covetousness, envy, jealousy, arrogance, love of money become very difficult to fight. You saw them as virtue when others helped you carry on. Consequently, you invigorated, armed and fortified them that you no more can fight.

The next stage is "THE FLAW BECOMING PART AND PARCEL OF YOU'
The flaw having stayed uncontrolled, becomes something you find normal doing. You begin to covet to any level beyond parameters. If you used to covet people's shoes, you begin to covet people's wives and properties .if you used to disobey elderly people, at this juncture, you disobey men of God. The flaw becomes a disease permanent in your body. It comes on usual basis and goes only when you are done with what you deployed it for. You may start killing people over money if you used to be a lover of money and watched it unchecked to this level. You may start disclosing your boss' secret behind his success to friends if you used to be a gossip. You may start having sex with your brother's wife if you refused to check your libido as your big flaw. At this level, you will even not be aware of the flaw when people rebuke you, because it is now part of you. That is why you are a man of God but chase after the little girls in the church. That is why you sing like an angel yet steal from the church's coffers. That is why you preach virtue but practice vice.

The final stage is "WHEN YOU BECOME THE DEVIL'
This stage which climaxes the piece is demystifying a mystery. The flaw now becomes a devil in you against yourself. The flaw fights you and when it succeeds, you blame the devil. Who is that devil? isn't it your flaw? and who possesses that flaw? Is it I? It is you. You possessed that flaw when your cells(instincts and 'enemies') were rebuking you to acknowledge and fight it but refused. You laid the foundation for it to get fortified. It used the opportunity effectively and built up to a crescendo causing your downfall.
One may ask, are we not religious? Why can't we pray to eschew those flaws? Are you lost on how you refused to acknowledge your flaw? What then are you praying for and against.

You were one who couldn't stand seduction, worst of all, you had a voracious appetite for sex anytime you saw girls in short skirts. You knew instinctively and heard friends telling you repeatedly. Nonetheless, you ignored and perpetuated that act because you thought it was right following commends from your 'loved ones'. You grew up into a responsible man with a very good job. There was this lady in your workplace who really had interest in wearing short skirts . She probably had had interest in that since her childhood stage, but also refused to acknowledge like you did. She clamored for you though you were married. One fateful day, she bumped into you in your office when no one by your time check was around by then. You both started playing romance in the office when your boss came in unannounced and caught you red-handed. He afterwards sacked you. You told your friend that, you suspected the girl to be a devil sent to you. It was and is a big lie. A very big one for that matter. You were the devil. Your flaw which became your devil led you. You were a womanizer whom your friends hailed names anytime you had sex with a girl. You could not acknowledge that flaw and had finally laid you off from your workplace . The devil is you..

You were one whose temper could fray at any moment uncontrollably. You allowed that flaw to graduate through the stages to the final level. You met a man whom you did not know in town. He inadvertently hit you with his hand, you angrily called him to ask why he did not turn to at least say sorry. The man's egocentric flaw which he also refused to fight made him ignore your request. Consequently, you hit the man as a retaliation. Unfortunately, the man fell and could not stand on his feet again. You had to forgo wherever you were going for the man's well-being. You had no option because there were many people in town who saw the scene. The man eventually passed away. The people around concluded that, the deceased was not of this world but probably sent, but a very big question unanswered. Do you think that man even if what was concluded was right could go to an imperturbable man? An unflappable man would never give in to that temptation if that same man tried. So who is the devil? The man or you?

You were one who loved money to the crescendo. You covet whatever you see your friends possess. A friend of yours had the opportunity to travel abroad making greener pastures there. Your covetousness made you want to know what really sent him there. Your friend refused to tell you the truth but rather asked you to gather an amount worth 20000cedis to guarantee your journey. You were at helm of every activity to make that money. A friend recommended to you means you could follow to make that required amount. Though it was against your wish, you started cunning. Fortunately, you made the amount you needed. Your friend abroad then directed you to the man who helped him, whom you did not know was one of your victims. You were eventually apprehended and imprisoned. You could not join your friend and were also detained. Who caused it?

My mind's eye told me a story I would never forget. There was this woman who on her way to an interview met a young man. The young man's car was in front of the woman's on a road. The young man stopped for school children to cross. The man spent minutes awaiting the children to cross. The lady got out of the car and showered him with insults. The man tried placating her but she became more furious. Two men whose cars were behind the young man and woman, came down to solve the problem amicably. The man decided to listen to the advice of the men while the woman spoke off-chirp. The woman reached her destination and saw the young man whom he quarreled with earlier on, also go her direction. The man not knowing was also an interviewee. Interestingly, the two men who got down to separate them were the interviewers. There was only one vacancy available thus the manager of the company. The lady used the time given her to apologize while the young man went straight to the point.. Have you concluded already?

It is unequivocal that, we are being tempted day in and day out, but why was Sampson not tempted with money but a woman? Why were you tempted with money but not women? Why was your temper tested but not with cars? It is very simple to know what your flaw is but very difficult to fight against. However, the best thing in this life is to challenge yourself introspectively before coming out to the world. Having done that, you will know what can make you fall and have overcome it, therefore, you fit into everywhere you find yourself.

Many great men of God are backsliding because of their flaws generating into their devil. They allow their flaws to cause their fall and blame the devil. Prayers solve all problems but when that problem has been refused to be acknowledged, it becomes very difficult to pray against. Search for that flaw, acknowledge it, view it to be your number one enemy and a disease you have diagnosed. There are different diseases thus different ways of curing them. Try to cure yours by fighting physically, psychologically and most of all, spiritually. In so doing, you overcome future temptations. Leaving it unchecked, comes a long way to become your own devil.
I become flummoxed when people blame the devil anytime a flaw caused it. It can be cured and leave the body absolutely. It takes the victim that bold step to acknowledge and fight it but with God on your side, you can alleviate it. Fight your enemy(flaw) now for you not to blame the devil(the same flaw ) tomorrow.

quote
Before you blame someone for something bad which has happened to you, think about how you contributed