I REMEMBER…
A LIFE OF INTEGRITY
There is no way I’ll ever agree to your accusations. I’ll not deny my integrity even if it costs me my life. I’m holding fast to my integrity and not loosening my grip — and, believe me, I’ll never regret it (Job 27:5-6 MSG).
When I remember the Late Rev. Samuel Kayode Beckley, I remember a life of unparalleled integrity. A life void of offence towards God and towards men. Integrity speaks of moral uprightness and soundness. Rev. Beckley came to Olodo town as a single unmarried Christian missionary into a land and amidst a people of unregenerate minds filled with moral decadence; yet he would not allow his garment to be soiled by sexual sins. He lived above sexual sin level as airplane soars above the sea level! He lived above the reproach and ridicule which sexual sin would normally attract to a careless person’s life.
Though at times the temptation could be great (as you did tell us) and several traps set by sinners inspired by Satan purposely to shut you down; by the strength of the grace of Christ you soared above them all. You related with younger ladies as sisters and elderly women as mothers. You were always bold to declare in the public that you have no secrete in the hand of any woman anywhere! And if any woman-single or married-has any record of sexual abuse against you, such should be bold to say it out. You were a righteous person who was as bold as a lion that would not turn in its way for anybody!
In fact, if there is any sin I knew you to hate with all the passion within you, it is the sin of sexual immorality. You detested it in all its forms and shades of manifestations. In times like this when several servants of God have got their garments soiled; their soul burnt and their named tainted with different forms of sexual escapades with the opposite sex, Rev. S.K Beckley remains an emblem of purity and integrity in matters of sexual purity. At a time when several of his friends and contemporaries have suddenly become husbands of more than one wife and are caught in the entangling web of divers sexual sins with singles and married church members, S.K Beckley remained an husband of only one wife and purchased unto himself a testimony of a chaste man of God. And while many today have come to associate popularity in ministry with promiscuity, your slogan was that the higher any man of God goes, the more careful such should become as his failure at the pinnacle of success wield more destructive influence on the followers and the world at large. You often told us that it is covetousness and lack of contentment that make men to be involved in sexual sins of fornication and adultery; as all women are created equal in contents of sexual organs. You said there is no sexual organ present in one woman that is not available in another woman.
Despite the many graces and supernatural gifts of God in your life, you didn’t abuse the younger and older women entrusted to your care. Rather than exploiting them, you labored hard in prayer and the word to present them all as chaste “virgins” unto their King and Saviour in the day of His appearing. What a challenge to the present day ministers of the gospel! You believed any time a leader breaks a moral principle, such creates a small crack in the foundation of his integrity, thereby weakening his influence upon his followers. In your life time and after death, no woman ever accused you of sexual molestation! At least we have heard about popular ministers of the gospel whose secret life of sexual escapades were brought to the lime light of public glare at their death! You hated the works of darkness with passion. You hated seeing opposite sex standing and discussing in the dark. You always liked places of religious meetings well lite up during any night programme. Your life in relation to the opposite sex boldly writes “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl” (Job 31:1NIV). You would not conduct deliverance for the demon-oppressed in the dark or behind closed doors. Yours is a life worthy of emulation.
Despite the many graces and supernatural gifts of God in your life, you didn’t abuse the younger and older women entrusted to your care. Rather than exploiting them, you labored hard in prayer and the word to present them all as chaste “virgins” unto their King and Saviour in the day of His appearing. What a challenge to the present day ministers of the gospel! You believed any time a leader breaks a moral principle, such creates a small crack in the foundation of his integrity, thereby weakening his influence upon his followers. In your life time and after death, no woman ever accused you of sexual molestation! At least we have heard about popular ministers of the gospel whose secret life of sexual escapades were brought to the lime light of public glare at their death! You hated the works of darkness with passion. You hated seeing opposite sex standing and discussing in the dark. You always liked places of religious meetings well lite up during any night programme. Your life in relation to the opposite sex boldly writes “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl” (Job 31:1NIV). You would not conduct deliverance for the demon-oppressed in the dark or behind closed doors. Yours is a life worthy of emulation.
Likewise in matter of finances, you lived above board and maintained your integrity. Your popular slogan is “I will not allow little shekels of silver hinder me from making heaven.” You were so frugal and careful with church money that you were always afraid of even spending on your personal needs which is even recommended and encouraged in the Scriptures. As a full-time Christian minister, you refused to allow your children to be sponsored to school with the church money. You lived a life of very strict discipline. You lived what you preached. You did what you asked everyone else to do. You walked and worked the talk. At your death, you were owing no man a kobo! Rather than owing, many people are owing you. Even beyond the shores of the church over which God made you overseer, you also obtained the testimony of integrity of life. It was said of you among the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Ogun State Chapter, that “You lived a life of unparalleled integrity with absolute obedience to God. You spoke the truth and defended the faith.” You held “…faith and good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.” And just as the Scripture says, “For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus”, you have purchased a good name by your lifestyle. You have bequeathed unto your wife, children and the church a name to be proud of! The family and the flock of Christ over which He made you overseer are very proud to be called sons and daughter of Rev. S.K Beckley!
God is looking for men and women of integrity today, men and women who will truly reflect Christ as He is. Christians and ministers who are not dirty or broken mirrors that reflect false and blurred images of the original. At a time like this when the name of Christ is being dragged into mud by so-called Christians and preachers of the gospel, God is in search of men and women who through their lifestyles will project Christ as “…holy, harmless undefiled, separate from sinners.” May the Lord make us worthy ambassadors of His name.
The tributes continues, watch out for the next episode…