Learning from a great man

Today the world celebrates the life and legacy of a great man. A man who took the abuse and degradation of his people and himself yet chose to forgive. I imagine that on that day in South Africa when apartheid was finally put to end South Africans finally dared to dream again. They begun to see the reality of success for a black nation. Although all African states did not endure the same type of treatment under colonial masters, the feeling must have been the same at the declaration of independence.

It is a pity that while years ago our people celebrated independence and chose to forgive our colonial masters today we are faced with an even greater challenge, forgiving our very own African leaders. We trusted them with so much. We trusted them to rebuild and restore Africa's dignity but instead they have mostly sold us moving speeches instead of actual change. Their wants(and I mean wants not needs) became their primary focus while Africa continued to be dug into a deeper pit centuries behind other continents. These same leaders are allover the news today claiming to have been greatly inspired by the rare spirit that was President Mandela and yet they have continued to do the complete opposite of what he stood for. Strength, love, vision, selflessness, influence was him but our leaders are well...you know what I mean.  It's a shame that with such a great example, they will still choose to ruin their countries and the spirit of anger will continue to mount.

We've seen the results of violence in North Africa, we've seen wars , genocides, xenophobic killings all past colonial rule. People are tired, frustrated and angry but he must have felt the same way through all he endured yet he still chose peace and forgiveness. Our leaders have disappointed us no doubt but there is still hope and still much to do.  The only hope we have is ourselves. If Madiba has taught us anything, it is the power of an individual. We must do things better ourselves, we must forgive ,(yes forgive) we must work together, and we must render our best selves to our people. Africa is the richest continent in resources but the biggest resource that Africa has is the people. And so it's with that knowledge that we should not stop working and striving for better!
Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Yes, I will always draw from the word of God for it's rich in wisdom!

Hipocrisy

Maybe in time I will find something more uncomfortable but as of now, hypocrisy is what I find most uncomfortable about the church.

While the church will be highly engaged in prayers of healing and speak openly about most illnesses, the same church will have secrecy about deadly and highly stigmatized illness such HIV/AIDS and sometimes shockingly cancer as if God suddenly becomes unable when it comes to these illnesses.

While many in the church chant about how it is about giving Christ/God the glory, the same folks will be competing to lead worship, preach, be the "pastor's pet", the most loved congregant and all sorts of petty issues.I wonder if there is something I am missing here, aren't we the same ones claiming it is about God?

While we preach about a forgiving, merciful God and about redemption in Christ, we carry on with the pasts of others even when God has long forgotten and forgiven. We also conveniently forget our daily private struggles and forget to closely examine ourselves all for the sake of seeming more mature in the faith. Modern day Pharisees if you ask me.

We give the sweetest dearest titles to each other but hurt each other like arch enemies. You are my sister/ brother but I will break you with my vicious actions type of behavior. The most important commandments are the love of God and the Love of your neighbor!

We love to shout and point out sins that we do not indulge in. We also love to shout about the sins that are fashionable to shout about even if some other sins cause way more damage.  I wonder how many families would be saved if church folks shouted about physical abuse,verbal abuse ,fornication and adultery as much as they proudly shout about homosexuality. Ours is the business of sin sorting. What folly!

We also love to offer our "helping ears" but these are really "gossip collecting ears" because the issues brought soon become church gossip. We pretend not to understand what keeping a secret is because we have to "help" our brothers and sisters.

We try to blame the decay in the world as the sole reason why people shun such a loving God but we are also stumbling blocks for people to truly come to Christ.

I think there is no bigger shame than a potential Christian failing to come to Christ because of a Christian. Hypocrisy is possibly not a popular subject in the church because it's a popular practice. It is nothing new since Jesus spent almost His entire ministry at odds with the hypocrites of His time. The risen Christ is still heavily dealing with this today in a time where we should be progressing. I pray that we may all see the danger in it and forsake it entirely. Remember that if it's really for His glory hypocrisy is the furthest thing from bringing Him Glory.

Thankfully God's goodness never seizes to shine through because even with all this, I am blessed with some very true and honest friends in the faith.