In High school there was this craze that took some of us by storm. It was the phenomenon of school bands, dog tags and other paraphernalia. I do not know if it is still the case, but a time came where they became a lucrative business. You would go for vacation classes and you wouldn’t have to ask a person the school they attended. They would be wearing a wristband with “Odade3” boldly inscribed on it. After a short while, there was a shift. We went back to school, and I saw my colleagues wearing wristbands and other things from other schools. Some young boys would have a wrist band of Wesley Girls on the right and of Holy Child on the left. I don’t know why, but it really became some kind of flex; to have something from a girl’s school. In no time I began to silently pray that this blessing will locate me, that I would also be able to brandish a school band from some other school. Lo and behold, one day I received a letter and there were 2 wristbands from Wesley Girls for me! I was over the moon! Rather than wear it, I converted them to key holders, because I felt I had been given the keys to the kingdom. The day they got stolen, I was nuts! I searched and searched, but to no avail. I prayed all kinds of prayer, but my Gey Hey bands never returned to me.  

Looking back, I wonder why we were so excited to own those kind of items. I remember how some Holy Child girls will crave for Mfantsipim uniforms at out inter schools sporting festivals. Those uniforms were hard to come by and so the girls would settle for the cheaper green uniforms of Augusco, and wear them shamelessly. What is the pride in that? What exactly is the pride and joy of having someone’s personal effects? There is definitely a psychology in there. If someone I cherish gives me a personal effect, it’s a heavy gesture. In a way, it signifies that the person regards me as very close. This is probably why when people are in love, they say things like “I give you my heart”. It is totally figurative, and thankfully so. In movies, I’ve seen that sometimes when soldiers are going to war, their families or spouses give them very personal items, like a watch or necklace that was handed down from their parents, or a passport picture. When the father of the prodigal son gave him his robe and his signet ring on his return, it sent a message of full acceptance and unconditional love. Maybe this is someone’s breakthrough right here. It’s not every day that you will be buying pizza and bag. Maybe that hoodie that you really like, give it to her as a gift, and see the salvation of the Lord in your life.  

As I contemplated this, it dawned on me that God also has given us the most personal effect He has; His Spirit. Unlike man, this isn’t figurative. It is real. In giving us His Spirit, God calls us to intimate fellowship with Him. This act shows that we are dear to Him.  It sends a message that he has accepted us and has taken us into His home. He also gives it to us in the hopes that we would interact with it all the more and be filled with the fondest thoughts towards him. God, in giving us His Spirit, displays His vulnerability towards us. 

If really this is the case, then what have we done with His Spirit? Selah