*🐰 I WAS JUST HUNGRY* *▪️A Cry From The Traps Of Life*😢 Some days ago, someone shared this heartbreaking image of a little mouse caught in a trap. —Its tiny eyes were swollen with tears. —Its paw was crushed. —Blood stained the wooden floor beneath it. Yet, what caught my heart wasn’t the pain or the blood—but the words written beside it: *"I’m not a dangerous animal and I won’t hurt you. I was just hungry."* It took me back—way back to my early years in Alagbado, Lagos State. There was a young boy in our compound named Chima. He was always dirty, always sneaking into kitchens when no one was looking. At least once a week, someone would shout, “That Chima don carry my garri again oh!” I remember how we mocked him. Called him “thief.” 😢 Some adults would beat him up. One woman even tied him to a tree once, under the hot sun, for taking a piece of fried fish.. 😢 But what we didn’t know—what we never even asked—was that Chima was just hungry. His mother had died when he was six. His father, a drunk, barely returned home with enough money to buy a sachet of pure water. Most nights, Chima and his younger sister slept on empty stomachs. So, he learned to steal to survive. He learned to beg, to sneak, to be smart. And while the world saw a thief, what he truly was… was a boy in pain. Now, years later, I see this mouse crying in a trap and I see Chima’s face. ▪️I see the countless boys and girls in our streets. ▪️I see the bus conductors who shout angrily—not because they enjoy it, but because life has never been kind. ▪️I see the prostitutes in Allen Avenue, the young cult boys in Badagary. The jobless graduates walking the streets of Lagos and Abuja, the countless prisoners in cells not because they’re wicked—but because they were just hungry. Hunger isn’t always about food. ▫️Some people are hungry for love. ▫️Some are hungry for peace. ▫️Some are hungry for hope. ▫️Some are just hungry to be noticed—to be seen as human. But what does society do? We set traps. —We judge before asking questions. —We condemn before listening. —We punish without understanding. And sadly, sometimes, even the Church—yes, the place meant for healing—becomes a trap too. A brother falls into sin and we throw him out...😢 A sister becomes pregnant and we push her to the back. .😭 But have we ever stopped to ask: Why did she fall? What hunger was she trying to feed? Beloved, this world is full of "mice"—innocent souls trapped not because they wanted to destroy anything, but because they were just trying to survive. That boy who stole your phone may have lost both parents. That girl in makeup and tight jeans may be the breadwinner of her family. That man who sleeps under the bridge may once have been a promising young graduate—until life dealt him a bad card. Let me ask you sincerely: How many people have you judged lately without understanding their hunger? How many "mice" have you set traps for in your heart—silently condemning them because their scars were too messy for your clean world? The Bible says in Proverbs 21:13, “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” Every soul you ignore, every cry you silence, every pain you mock—you’re setting a trap for your own day of hunger. My dear friend, life is deeper than appearances. Sometimes, all a person needs is a listening ear, a plate of food, a kind word, or even just a smile. Don’t be too quick to condemn. Don’t let your heart become a trap. Choose mercy. Choose kindness. Choose love. That small mouse in the image? That’s someone in your street today. That’s a child in your church. That’s your neighbour. That could be you tomorrow. Sometimes, the people we cast out are the very ones God sent to test our compassion. Not all who wander are rebels—some are simply lost, and looking for a place to rest. We live in a world full of invisible battles. That man who didn’t greet you in church might be battling suicidal thoughts. That lady who keeps to herself may be recovering from abuse. That child who is always moody may not have eaten since yesterday. We walk past people like shadows, forgetting that they are made of the same flesh and tears as we are. One day, a friend shared a story of a mad man in Aba who used to talk to himself and eat from the dustbin. Everyone avoided him. But after he died, a diary was found on his body—pages filled with brilliant poems, love notes to a woman who never loved him back, prayers he wrote to God, and letters to a son he never saw again. He wasn’t mad. He was broken. He was just hungry—for love, for healing, for one more chance. Even in the Bible, the prodigal son wasn’t a bad child—he was just hungry. It was hunger that made him return home. And what did the father do? He didn’t lecture him. He didn’t punish him. He embraced him. Fed him. Dressed him. That’s what love does. Love restores. Love understands that behind every fall is a cry for help. Beloved, be careful how you handle people in their low seasons. One day, they may rise—and remember who mocked them and who showed them mercy. Be the reason someone believes in kindness again. Be the reason a broken soul finds courage to start over. The mouse in the trap may not have been dangerous—but the silence of those who watched and did nothing… that was dangerous. Let’s not be spectators of suffering. Let’s be instruments of healing. For the day may come when you too will whisper: “I’m not dangerous. I won’t hurt anyone. I was just hungry.” And may God send you someone who listens… before the trap springs. ——————————— *🚫 THE END... Beloved, has this message touched your heart? Don’t just read and move on... share it with someone who might be struggling in silence. Every soul matters to God. 🙌 Follow for more stories, or feel free to send me a DM