“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do”

Psalms 11:3

Not long ago, many areas had collective responsibility where everyone cared for one another. Everyone was a brother’s keeper. The whole community rotated around each other, there was no self-sustenance rather community sustenance. Because of this society cared for each other’s needs in all aspects of social, economic as well as spiritual needs which they met; this created a lot of mutual cooperation and development.

Today this best practice is slowly being eroded by the selfish minds that have become part of our daily lives; a close look around the urban suburbs will demonstrate what am talking about.  Everybody is trying to compete to build the biggest wall (prison) around themselves, we all daily pass at the rubbish around in our communities without any care, we find children walking all alone and we no longer bother, a call to donate blood will attract few participants why?, we are living a life of “everybody for themselves and God for us all”.

We have grown into selfish beings, life is all about us, me, mine, ours, we and I, everybody else doesn’t matter. This has gone further into our smallest units—homes spreading across like a fire band in our communities. We are increasingly becoming driven by selfish passions and dreams no matter how many are destroyed along the way.

I am part of the billions of the human race

Our destiny as a community, as a nation holds on the sense that we are all together bound for the same destiny creating a nation and generation that is prosperous with the fear of the Lord. The social fabric is not about being alone; it’s about standing for someone else alone. It’s about understanding that “I am part of the billions of the human race”. Ants together build their anthill and continuously work together to store their food.

“We can all participate in weaving the social fabric; we should therefore all participate in patching the fabric when it develops holes- mismatches between old expectations and current realities” Anne C. Weisberg stated.

So many things have gone wrong; so many opportunities are missed while challenges are colossal. The writings on the wall are clear, but we are not bothered since we envision these writings are for someone else to clean up like the church, government, civil society organizations, etc. We are continuously detaching ourselves from the wrongs and problems in our communities and nations.

We have forgotten that Life does not owe us a living but we do owe it our very existence so that as human beings we can weave the fabric that holds us together for our very existence. As individuals, we must find our role in sharing the responsibility of our communities rather than living a life of its not my mess nor is it my business, let someone else clean it up. It’s also easier to blame others, to feel others have not done enough but this is a mere escape of own responsibility.

Our nation can only stand if we stand by it; morals can only be passed on if we get concerned by the immorality happenings around us and chose to live our lives as examples.

God’s love for us is a reflection of this concept; he saw you and me (humanity) partaking of eternal grace thus he sent his only Son Christ to die for us John 3:16 the most quoted verse declares this clearly “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life”  while 1John 3:16-18 says it all

“ By this, we know love because he laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren…… let us not love in word or tongue, but in deed and in the truth”

As we learn to serve others, we become central to them and responsible figures in their lives, we also aspire and inspire them to do the same for others.

A Canadian born evangelist and writer Aimee Semple McPherson once said  “We are all making a crown for Jesus out of these daily lives of ours, either a crown of golden, divine love, studded with gems of sacrifice and adoration, or a thorny crown, filled with the cruel briars of unbelief, or selfishness, and sin, and placing it upon His brow”

The only reason why we exist is to add value to others

The only reason why we exist is to add value to others, not for our own comfort but as part of the rent, we pay in being human and alive. We have many people who have selflessly served humanity and because of them, the world is a better place to live in.

Think for example of a parent who cares for the little one’s day and night, providing, comforting, training, and encouraging, think also of a soldier at the front battle fighting for his/her nations peace, think of a church leader who prays day and night for his flock, think of the surgeon working 16-hours in a non-stop operation of a heart patient, think of the scientist who spends sleepless nights over years trying to find a cure for HIV, think! There is no point in being human if we cannot be responsible for other human beings.

All creations live this kind of life, take an example of a tree, the stem of the tree has never complained of the branches there-in and the leaves, rather it grows to accommodate all branches and leaves in addition to the birds in the air, the fruits of its labor, insects, and flowers.

As Christians we have to understand our role in building the kingdom of God and our responsibility towards fellow men and other creatures, this is the true way of life. This does not require much, a small floor in the pot can feed many for years, a few fish and loaves of bread can feed thousands.

If we teach a child integrity we shall have taught a generation, when we touch one orphan with love we shall have changed society, if we preach the gospel to one Saul, he will preach to nations. Do not despise your role in social change and development, let each one of us do what we have to do and let God do the other, let us identify a boy with a fish and loaves of bread and God will feed thousands.

Always remember what Albert Einstein said that;

the world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.

What will you do when the foundations are being destroyed? Our generation is looking for that one man and woman who will avail themselves for God to use with what they have, David used a sling and stone and saved a nation-Israel, Mosses used a rod and saved Israelites from oppression and slavery, the I am using a pen and paper to reach to you, Mother Theresa used to love to reach to the helpless.

What shall you give? What shall you do in this generation to touch the people around you with the love of Christ? Look for the next issue to find out how you can be a blessing wherever you are with what you have.

©Allen. K. Baguma

Google: http://Allen Baguma

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