The devil as better bet – sometimes

Laughing to stop crying
By Anthony Muchoki


There are times I have some kind words for the devil. This is when I feel we are blaming the scorned chap too much for our own deliberate mistakes.

We make deliberate decisions, moves and acts and if they are anti-social, instead of admitting our crimes, we accuse the devil of influencing us.

Many times over we heard in our Bongo courts, men admitting guilt when accused of rape and telling the magistrate:

“I raped the child after the devil entered my head…. I only realized my mistake after going all the way.”

A man goes to church to confess his sins and seek deliverance. That Sunday, the most beautiful lady at the church, who also doubles as the pastor’s wife is dishing out the bread of life.

As she holds her Bible high to preach the word of God, telling all – “For God so loved the world, He gave his only begotten son so that whomsoever believes in Him could get eternal life,” our man is day dreaming about committing adultery with the lady.

Can you blame the devil for your evil dream too?

Or imagine that exotic woman, the fairly Rose of your dreams - there you are with her, all your life now the bliss she brings to you- having an expensive beach holiday- USD 300 per day. If you could only read her mind – you would run away- she is just imagining of being in the arms of David Beckham, the UK soccer King. Who to blame here?

At times I feel the man Lucifer and all his fire is a better bet than some chaps, who think themselves as little devils, clever than Lucifer and they always end up causing pain to others.

We know the work of the devil is to steal, kill and destroy and so be it. The seven horned devil has sons and daughters (little devils) working for him 24/7. They make life a hell on earth for law abiding citizens like yours truly.

How do you get to know those little devils, when most of the time they wear the faces of angels?



Don’t get me wrong---- just answer my question- are you very mean with your money? Would you think twice before spending to take your sick mother to hospital? If the answer is yes, very likely, then you are a cousin of ‘D’

Are you one of those who secretly habour dreams of making your workers slave machines? Is the only person you value in your life, yourself first, yourself second and yourself third?

Are you like my friend M who will not give his wife any cash to buy daily domestic necessities?

The man M, a well respected professional, you will always see him at the local stop buying bread, sugar, greens etc.

“My wife is a house wife- that is it. She should never touch my money,” he once told me his secret.

Another son of devil, would rather have the house budget ran by the house girl than the wife. When I asked him, haha, if his wife takes it kindly, some real devilish words came out of his mouth.

“The house girl is more beautiful than the aging daughter of Kilimanjaro, who thinks her first name is money. When my old wife makes her voyages to Machame, I remain at home with the house help – she is from Tanga- and she plays the guitar so beautifully, even the gods cannot resist her ruse,” he said.

No wonder many married women see house girls as treasonous creatures who can commit a coup d’état any time.

Mama Tumaini goes into great length when she is looking for a house help. “ I have to get the ugliest one in the market, the one who when the man of the house looks at her, he shrinks in horror,” she said to me at one time. Do you think this big mama is evil?

Why do you think a whole professor will cheat his wife with an illiterate house help? Of course because of the devil. The devil is to blame for domestic violence meted against women. The devil is to blame for my hurting you with this column this Sunday….

I hear the biggest difference between a human being and other animals is not brains but something called in Greek “self control.” When you cannot exercise self control for good and not evil- you are allowing yourself to become a child of the devil. And that is the sermon for today. Adieu

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Anthony Muchoki is a creative writer.

amuchoki.gmail.com