Jeremiah: E Too Small to Talk?

One young man hear God call am. And im first answer na, I no fit. I no know how to talk. I too small. Nobody go listen to me.

Im name na Jeremiah. E come from one family of priests for Anathoth, one village wey no far from Jerusalem, for north-east side, for di land of di tribe of Benjamin. Di word of Di Lord first come to am for di thirteenth year of King Josiah. Josiah na good king, but dark cloud dey gather over Judah. Jeremiah go continue to talk for God for about forty years, through di reign of di last kings of Judah, reach di day wey Jerusalem fall.

Di word of Di Lord come to am. Before I form you for your mama womb, I know you. Before dem born you, I set you apart. I make you prophet to di nations. Before Jeremiah even draw breath, God get plan for am. But Jeremiah no dey excited. Fear dey catch am. Ah, Lord God! e talk. See, I no know how to talk. I be only small pikin.

No talk say, I be only small pikin. You go go meet everybody wey I send you to, and you go talk anything wey I command you. No fear dia face, because I dey with you to rescue you.

Then Di Lord stretch im hand and touch Jeremiah mouth. See, I don put my words for your mouth. Today I set you over nations and kingdoms, to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to scatter, to build and to plant. Jeremiah no need to cook up sweet speeches. Di words go be God own. Im work na to talk dem.

Then God show am one picture. Jeremiah, wetin you see? I see one branch of almond tree. You see well, Di Lord talk, because I dey watch over my word to make am happen. Then second picture. Wetin you see? I see one pot wey dey boil, wey dey tilt from north. God explain. Trouble go pour comot from north on top everybody wey dey live for di land, because di people don leave God and dey worship things wey dia own hand make.

So get ready, God talk. Stand up and tell dem everything wey I command you. No let dem terrify you. And then one promise. Today I don make you strong city, iron pillar and bronze walls, against di whole land, against im kings, im officials, im priests and im people. Dem go fight you, but dem no go win, because I dey with you, na so Di Lord talk, to rescue you. Na promise wey Jeremiah go need. For di years wey dey come, dem go mock am, beat am, lock am up and throw am inside muddy pit. But nobody go abandon am.

Di almond branch hide one play on words for Hebrew. Di word for almond tree na shaqed. Di word for watching na shoqed. Dem sound almost di same. Almond still be one of di first trees for di land wey dey flower, e dey flower for di end of cold season while di other trees still dey bare. So e be correct picture of person wey dey awake and dey watch. When Jeremiah look di almond, na like say God dey talk: I dey awake well well, I dey watch over my word.

Dem tell how God call Jeremiah for Jeremiah chapter one. E feel say e too young and too small for di work. God no tell am say e big reach. God tell am, I dey with you. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Wetin you feel say you too young or too small to do, and how e fit change things if you know say God dey with you?