"The Day of Small Beginnings" - Zechariah 4:10

“The Day of Small Beginnings” – Zechariah 4:10

A bestselling legal fiction writer shares the story of his beginnings as a writer.  A braggadocio, he bombarded his wife with his aspirations and intentions of writing a book.  She soon grew tired of his empty words and “bankrupt idealism.”  On hearing his vague and vacuous pledges of writing again, she sternly replied, “I do not wish to hear another word about any book you are writing until you have written it.”  That forceful verbal punch changed his life.  Humbled by his wife’s chastening rod, a lawyer at the time, he returned home from work on the next day to embark upon his prominent, lucrative and enduringly successful writing career.  He sat down with a pen and a spiral notebook.  He began his first novel writing by hand.  He made an agreement with himself that he would write at least one page per day by hand.  He did not read or edit anything he wrote in this drafting stage.  He allowed the pages to accumulate one-at-a-time.  Eventually, he wrote four hundred and fifty pages which became his first novel.  That first page was the acorn that produced the oak tree of his destiny as a writer.

The day on which this New York Times bestselling author wrote his first page was “the day of small beginnings.”  He could not possibly have envisioned the celebrity, wealth and overwhelmingly prosperous lifestyle that would unfold in subsequent days.  He refused to allow this deeply embedded desire in his heart to burn out.  Rather than squelching it, his wife’s forceful words actually reignited the flames of his dreams.  Still, he acted upon his mustard seed’s worth of faith and made a small beginning.  His acorn grew into an impressive and towering oak.

“Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hands of Zerubbabel?” (Zechariah 4:10)  Contextually, this verse in Zechariah is an exhortation to the people of Israel who scoffed at the rebuilding of the Temple.  Solomon’s great and glorious Temple was destroyed summarily by the Babylonians in 587 BCE.  One of the eight wonders of the Ancient Near Eastern world, Solomon’s grand Temple was priceless and irreplaceable.  A half century after its destruction, a vision came to rebuild.  When workers began to build the foundation for the new temple, observers ridiculed their efforts.  Surely, they could not possibly build anything comparable to what the previous generations enjoyed.  With divine providence, provision and protection which the seven eyes of the Lord represent, the workers actually accomplished this main feat twenty-one years later.  The people who laughed initially then changed their attitude and began to rejoice.

Great inventions and corporations began in garages, basements and bathtubs.  Some persons stumbled upon ideas as they were fixing other problems.  The man who holds the patent for the super water guns was repairing an appliance in the basement.  Needing additional water to complete this repair, he followed the inspiration to sketch, design and build a high power water gun.  With receipt of his first royalty check which surpassed seven figures in multiples, he knew his life had changed forever.  Yet, it began with a small water problem in his house.

As God is not a respecter of persons and does not show favoritism, He graciously and freely gives inspiration, discipline and perseverance to anyone who asks.  Should you possess a latent heartfelt desire and dream, you may seek divine favor as you pursue its fulfillment.  Though you may encounter the cynicism of other people even family members or close friends, confidently you can take the first step toward a whole new life.  Chapter sixty-four of the Tao Te Ching teaches the immortal yet very practically applicable wisdom, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”  Should other people doubt you, they will eventually resemble the ancient scoffers in Israel who exchanged their laughter for rejoicing when they observe your monumental and indescribable success.  Let no one despise the day of your small yet significant beginnings.

"Perfect Love Casts Out Fear" - 1 John 4:18

“Perfect Love Casts Out Fear” – 1 John 4:18

Fear does not come from God.  God does not want anyone to live as a prisoner to daily anxieties, unsettling feelings, persistent angst and pervasive fear.  Rather, He greatly desires for His children to live in perfect harmony under the canopy of His unfailing love.  Security in love and work is one of the heart’s deepest desires.  To love and be loved unconditionally is Cinderella’s biggest wish.  The Cinderella who lives in each person’s heart awaits the emergence of a prince with the golden, glass slipper.  Achievement, success and excellence in your chosen profession reflect your contribution to humankind and provide financial means to enjoy life.  Fear results naturally when a person does not experience emotional wellbeing in a loving relationship and self-confidence in work.  Fear about the lack of love and possibility of failure in life often erases a person’s dreams and goals.  Many persons live with a foreboding dread that they will never experience the bliss of a mutually encouraging and empowering love relationship or success within their work.  Many disciples of the Lord Jesus surrender to these fears as they doubt that life can be as abundant as scripture says.  Allowing fear to permeate your daily living is totally contrary to God’s will for you. 

In this verse, the Lord comforts us with His unfailing love which is fear’s main antidote.  He graciously and generously gives us His “perfect love” which casts out fear.  In this large letter to the young disciples in Ephesus, the great apostle of love, John, tells his audience that God fulfills the “unfailing love” of the Old Testament in the gift of Jesus Christ, His One and Only Begotten Son, who personifies love.  His example demonstrates how we can live a fearless life.  God’s unconditional love yields joy, wellness, success and peace as daily and constant companions.  God’s love annihilates persistent worries about whether anyone unconditionally loves us; accepting us as we are without any demands to change.  It further eradicates aimlessness and confusion about life’s destiny and purpose.  Christ’s  perfect love as demonstrated through His sacrificial life and atonement on Calvary’s cross completely defeats daily and practical fears.

Imagine a relationship in which you constantly check to ascertain whether your significant other is relating in good faith.  When he or she is not around, you check the cell phone messages, voicemail on the land line, email messages and open and reclose postal mail.  You inspect clothing for lipstick, perfume, and other items that prove infidelity.  You constantly call him or her at work to see if you can catch him or her unawares; possibly he or she will let down his or her guard and inadvertently reveal some untoward behavior.  The possibilities for uncovering deceit and lies within a relationship are as endless as there are people.  When channel surfing, you can find multiple reality shows and investigative programs that center upon insanity within “love” relationships.  Nevertheless, can a person live freely and fearlessly in love when he or she cannot possibly trust his or her significant other?  “Perfect love” yields trust, communication and respect; the three main pillars upon which we build mutual and loving relationships.

I grew up in a very Southern African American household which prioritized religion and weekly church attendance above everything else.  Short of death, I attended church each Sunday of my formative years.  Many of the sermons I heard centered upon the need to confess Christ as Lord and Savior in order to avoid eternal damnation in hell.  References to the burning lake of fire and enduring torment conjured incredible fear in my mind and heart.  Who wants to be doomed to such an eternal state?  Out of fear of living eternally in hell, many people came to Christ.  It was as if they took out an eternal life insurance policy.  They came to Him to prevent going to hell as He would prevent that possibility if they acceded to the proper creedal formulas and practiced the mandatory rituals.  The faithful practice of religion would resolve a person’s eternal destiny and offer meager assurances during his earthly pilgrimage.  Perhaps, knowing that he or she would go to heaven will provide a semblance of peace and greatly minimize his fears about standing before the Lord on Judgment Day.  Focusing upon dreadful possibilities in eternity robs us of realizing God’s amazing and unfailing love.  His loyal, endless and perfect love totally eliminates fear in this life and the one to come.

The second part of this verse states that fear arises when we consider punishment.  Sometimes, as a child I would be told that I would soon receive punishment for some offense I committed.  It was a living hell to wait for the punishment.  Similarly, disciples who relate to the Lord in order to avoid eternal punishment live daily in hell.  The dreaded consequences of your choices do not allow peace of mind.  Regrettably, this motive for relating to Almighty God prevents understanding His essential character which is love.  God is not a sadist who spends His time recording disciples’ misdeeds in order to punish them later.  Instead, God’s heart yearns for us to know His gracious and generous love which He gives to free us from fear.  Mostly, He desires that His children live freely within the unconditional love a parent inherently possesses for children.  Hopefully, children do not constantly dwell on fear and punishment which prevent enjoyment of love.

The evangelist additionally says, “The one who lives in fear cannot be made perfect in love.”  When you persist in fear, you will never know genuine and unconditional love.  Peace and love never emerge in a dysfunctional and disheartening relationship.  Anyone in that type of relationship can never really know whether he or she is in love.  A disciple who lives in fear of God rather than in awe of His majesty, love and grace will never be made perfect in God’s love.  God’s sacrificial, redemptive, loyal and transformative love liberates us to be the very best child of God and servant to humankind of which we are capable.  His love conquers all of our fears as we progress spiritually and develop personally on the road to wholeness.

Five Rules for Writing and Perhaps for Daily Living

Five Rules for Writing and Perhaps for Daily Living

In Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul, Dan Milman offers five rules for writers as they pursue their heartfelt dreams.  First, show up.  Second, pay attention to everything occurring around you.  Third, as you tell the story, tell your “truth.”  Fourth, do your very best.  Fifth, do not let the outcomes distract you.  I think Milman’s rules for writing apply perfectly to daily living regardless of your profession, passions or personality.  He concludes his story with a pithy and sagacious reminder, “There are no great writers.  There are good re-writers.”  Likewise, no one is perfect.  Rarely do first tries at anything succeed.  Thankfully and eventually, mistakes teach more than successes.

Tough times at work often discourage us.  Rather than going in “to face the music,” we may call in sick, take a mental health day or find some other excuse to avoid facing the reality of hard choices and perhaps harder consequences.  When the alarm clock rings in the morning, like an ostrich burying his head in the sand, we pull the covers over our head and hope the day will pass in a glimpse allowing us to roll over and go back to sleep.  Yet, we must get out of bed and deal with life on its terms.  Perhaps, termination of an ineffective and unproductive employee is necessary.  The raise you deserve will not be given by osmosis; you have to ask for it risking denial and personal rejection.  If a doctor has results of a recent physical, you need to know the status of your health.  The vice principal handling discipline at your child’s school will not stop calling.  A face-to-face conference with administration, teachers, parents and student is in order.  Myriad other scenarios abound.  However, Milman’s first rule applies to each example.  First, show up!  My worst fears have never been realized.  Showing up equates with ninety-eight percent of the battle.  David partially defeats Goliath because David possesses divine courage to stand and oppose the Philistine giant.  Similarly, we conquer our fear by simply showing up and believing our unfailingly loving God will orchestrate the minute details of our lives toward the best result.

“Write for the senses.”  Milman encourages writers to play very close attention to their surroundings.  Good stories place the listeners and readers directly in the setting.  Details enable the audience to see the typography and terrain, touch the furniture, hear the wind blowing, smell the flowers and taste the food.  Look and listen for significant dramatic elements of a story.  Mystery writers embed major clues within short phrases of conversations.  It is said eighty-five percent of communication is non-verbal.  Thus, important aspects of negotiations are often silent.  Facial recognition technology closely analyzes expressions to detect lying and other signs of deceit.  As we pay attention to minutiae, we discover previously overlooked riches.  Routine observations can reveal wealthy hues and colors for brilliant prose.  The senses can also expose opportunities we dismiss in the normal course of daily activity.  Further, stopping and paying attention to detail often yields heartfelt gratitude for countless blessings.  It is nice to have a spouse who irons your clothes during the morning’s flurry of activity before leaving for work.  Opening the door on a hot, hazy and particularly humid day in July causes great thanks for air conditioning.  Bumper-to-bumper traffic is more bearable when you contrast it with the sweltering platforms of the subway system.  Assuredly, when you stop and pay attention to life, you see wealth, gratitude and joy are often found in simple, small yet significant things.

Milman posits each writer can find confidence in his unquestioned uniqueness.  “Write only as you can for no one else can write as exactly as you do.”  Another popular translation of Milman’s axiom relating to individuality offers, “No one can beat you being you.”    Most assuredly, you will always fail when you attempt to be someone other than who you are.  Writers like all other artists, musicians, entertainers, comedians and performers must find their own voice.  Mimicking someone else’s style will be seen for its worthlessness.  Why would someone read an imitation version of Dickens, Baldwin, Morrison, Ellison, King, Clancy, Updike or some other “great” writer when he can read the original work?  Similarly, in life, give people an opportunity to encounter God’s unique revelation in you.

Strive doggedly to do your best is Milman’s fourth rule for writers.  “Read your writing, notice the weaknesses and improve your work; constantly rewrite until you are certain that you cannot improve another sentence or word.”  No matter how good we are at what we do, we can be better.  There is always room for growth and even greater successes.  Though many people are happy wearing withered laurels, persons who achieve excellence refuse to settle for their most recent success.  They compete with themselves and not other people.  Can they dig within and find a superlative level of talent and ability?  Will they develop greater discipline and willingness to exceed their latest accomplishment? 

“Take an action and let go of the results.”  That colloquial expression captures Milman’s final counsel to writers.  “The effort itself is success; you cannot control the outcomes, only the effort.”  Writers receive countless rejections before their “big break” finally comes.  If they base their writing on achieving publication early on, most of them will abandon their calling and pursue some other means of earning a living.  Simply put, write because it is the heart’s passion.  If one person receives encouragement and empowerment to strive for a more joyous and fulfilling life because of something a writer composed, then writers attain successes greater than the amount of any royalty payments.  Conceivably, the most influential and effective writers have never won a National Book Award, Pulitzer Prize or Nobel Medal.  If they have changed someone’s life, they achieved the best results.  Henry David Thoreau posits, “A many dates his life from the reading of a great book.”  Writers whose books transform people’s lives deserve our highest praise.

Finally, Milman warns, “There are no good writers.  There are good re-writers.”  Many people never forge through the morass of doubt, fear and angst to write because they are too busy editing their work before they compose it.  Hemingway wrote fifteen drafts before sending anything to a publisher.  We can improve and strengthen anything if we willingly engage self-evaluation and humility.  We can rewrite the script of our lives with God’s guidance and frank self-acceptance.  Marianne Williamson in her compelling book, The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife, suggests that God returns the script of our lives to us for rewrites at midlife.  Rather than undergoing a crisis eventuating in depression, the years of midlife can be a fertile time of reflection, renewal and recommitment.  Return to the dreams of your youth and decide to actualize your heart’s deepest desires in the second half of your life.  Williamson additionally exhorts her readers, “Chances are if you think you are wasting your life, you’re probably right.”  Whether as a novelist, journalist, cultural critic, academician or on the existential canvass of life, be a good rewriter.

Gratitude for the Gift of Irritating People

Gratitude for the Gift of Irritating People

Are there any people in your life who greatly irritate you?  Are there any persons whom you seriously dislike?  Do wish they would simply go away?  Have you determined that the world would be a better place without them?  Do you despises and disdain anyone?  Does anyone absolutely disgust you?  I have a foolproof suggestion for handling such difficult persons and personalities.  Begin to give thanks for them! Mysteriously and ironically, they have come into your life to bring incredible gifts.  Though it may not seem likely, you will learn a lot from these complex and perplexing people.  They will reveal dimensions of your character that you easily overlook.  Difficult people force us to examine ourselves.  They reflect negative and unhelpful characteristics we need to neutralize if not eliminate.  Rather than desiring the absence of these people, start to thank God for them and embrace the lessons which they bring to you.

One of the lay leaders in my church personifies a mirror for my character.  She is an expert on any and every subject we discuss in leadership meetings.  She provides a nuance to any suggestion any other lay leader makes.  Regardless of what we decide and the process we utilize to reach a logical conclusion, she offers a supplement to perfect the decision.  She is convinced that were she not in the room we would make a crucial mistake.  She has even asked us to consider postponing meetings if they conflict with her work and personal schedule.  Interestingly, she never assumes primary leadership of any initiative before the Church.  She stays on the sidelines and criticizes other people’s efforts and products.  When we debrief the success or shortcomings of any ministry or project, she “logically” assumes that the rest of us suffer severely from a cognitive myopia that she must correct as she saves us from our mental incapacities. 

I mean to be as sarcastic as I am being.  This woman demonstrates how people have received me over the years.  She causes me to reflect upon my character assets and liabilities.  Am I making any progress with regard to genuine humility?  Am I taking myself too damn seriously?  Am I open-minded enough to appreciate each person’s contributions to our church family?  This woman is a yard stick with which I measure my spiritual growth and personal development.

A second lay leader quintessentially personifies self-pity and passive aggression.  Though a diligent worker in the church with considerable incapacities, she does not feel anyone appreciates her.  Despite numerous public and private demonstrations of my thanks for her contributions, she resolves that I am her enemy who arrogantly takes her for granted.  A lingering breakdown in communication coupled with an exchange of testy emails widens a relational chasm between us.  She responds with indifference and contempt only exchanging civil greetings if someone else is present.  Equally, I am thankful for this woman as she represents aspects of my character.  I can fluctuate between being egotistical and having an inferiority complex.  I too can be dismissive of people.  I also can digress to passive aggression laced with penetrating linguistical venom toward people I dislike.  As I progress spiritually, I humbly ask Almighty God to remove these defects of character.  This woman’s presence in my life shows me how far I have come as it simultaneously reminds me of just how far I must still travel toward self-acceptance.

A third lay leader substantially disappoints me with his conflict avoidance behavior.  Somehow, he assumes that I create and sustain any tension within the lay leadership.  He believes that I should simply conform my thinking and actions to the will of the group regardless of my principles and reservations.  Though an independent, impartial person could collaborate the behavior of his fellow lay leaders contributes significantly to an impasse we face, he persists in his outlook that I subordinate myself to them.  His avoidance tendencies manipulate him into trying to coercer me to submit to the will of these misguided people.  This man reminds me of a time in my professional life when I disappointed myself by failing to advocate for justice in a termination debacle.  His inadequacies reflect how much I have grown. As, I am most grateful to assess the progress I have made, I shudder to think that I once acted as he does.

The arrogant “know-it-all,” self-pitying simpleton and conflict avoider, all, help me to evaluate personal attributes as I become a better person.  As I resolve the internal challenges of pride, self-centered fear, projection and cowardice, I am better able to relate to other people.  I welcome them as human sand paper and personal chisels who help remove deformed aspects of my character and personality.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to pray for those people who scorn and despitefully use you.  As I pray for these persons and their growth, I pray that they receive the exact same blessings that I desire for my family and me.  As I seek success, wellness, happiness, love, joy and peace of mind, I earnestly and honestly desire the same for them.  These prayers for them eliminate adverse, angry and negative feelings.  Praying for my “enemies” conjures thanksgiving as I realize “But for the grace of God there go I.”

Being Still and Standing Aside As God Works

Being Still and Standing Aside As God Works

In one of her enduringly spiritual and relevant books, The Secret Door to Success, Florence Scovel Shinn offers a most profound and powerful meditation.  “Spiritual development means the ability to stand still, or aside, and let Infinite Intelligence lift your burdens and fight your battles.” Simply put, Shinn recommends “letting go and letting God” as His infinite power, goodness, knowledge and presence will justly resolve any adversity you face.  You need not demonize people who attack you.  God will vindicate you.  Accordingly, forsake extracting revenge upon anyone and relinquish our right to insist upon their punishment.  In His mystery and justice, God will mete out punishment in a perfect way.  He will force your accusers to live with the direct consequences of their choices.  Moreover, if you trust unswervingly in God’s unquestionable faithfulness, you experience His unfailing love and unending grace as He perfectly removes daily and lingering obstacles and defeats longstanding and intrepid adversaries.

It is so easy to recite Shinn’s meditation with fierce emotion.  In contrast, it is very hard to practice it in daily living.  However, I assuredly attest it works.  For so many years, I reasoned that I had to defend myself against all enemies.  I did not think that I could rely upon anyone to speak on my behalf.  As a result, I inadvertently alienated countless people as I relentlessly defended my honor and reputation as I resolved I could not trust anyone else to do so.  I wrote countless memoranda spanning hundreds perhaps thousands of pages.  I insisted upon numerous and lengthy meetings in which my very argumentative disposition further distanced people from me.  My intensity overwhelmed people; the feverish pitch of my anger resembled an erupting volcano.  Though some people actually agreed with me and believed that I had been falsely accused, they remained silent lest they be thought as sharing my righteous indignation.  My personal attempts at self-justification and self-vindication failed miserably each time. 

As I incorporate Shinn’s books and meditations into my thinking and practice her suggestions in daily living, I more greatly acquire peace of mind, happiness and wellness.  Life is considerably less stressful and emotionally taxing as I learn to be still and watch Almighty God advocate my cause.  Embroiled in a current battle in which some persons wish inexplicably to eliminate my position, surprisingly, I remain silent at meetings and allow justice, truth and righteousness to emerge.  Though I have been on the receiving end of numerous belittling, demeaning and dehumanizing remarks,  I have not fought back by reciprocating those insulting and harmful words.  In total contradiction to the hardwiring of my personality, I proactively apologized to the authors of the memoranda and speakers as I reason I must have said or done something to warrant their vitriol.  Further, I offered to meet with them to clear any clogged channels of communication.  I remain open to the redemption of these relationships; further, I entertain the possibility of reconciliation were all persons to assemble in good faith and commit willingly to restore our relationships.  As I seek to honor God with these overtures of establishing genuine peace, He neutralizes my “enemies” and advocates for me.

Being still and standing aside demand silence, humility and patience.  It is hard to remain silent when I wish to speak forcefully on my own behalf.  In instances when I am silent, I experience a better outcome.  The difference amazes me as I accept my words can worsen a situation; the very sound of my voice taints a perspective for some people.  Humility means that I realize that an Infinite Intelligence is better able to resolve difficulties.  My limited view, no matter who correct, remains imperfect.  As I learn to cease taking myself so seriously,  I must accept the correctness of other people’s opinions.  Lastly, patience teaches me to trust that God does indeed desire the very best outcome for me as He does for everyone else.  He will not bless me at the expense of others; neither will He favor them at my expense. 

Waiting upon Almighty God equates with cultivating spiritual maturity to rely genuinely upon Him and developing greater trusts in His faithfulness.  Shinn’s meditations are a contemporary appropriation of the Psalmist’s experience.  During a very turbulent period in his life, the Psalter declares “God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in the time of trouble.”  Later in Psalm 46:10, the Psalter exhorts his own soul, “Be still and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations.  I will be exalted over the Earth.”  Though wars burst forth, earthquakes occur and the mountains shake, the Psalter takes refuge in God’s everlasting faithfulness.  The Psalter need not fear for his physical and emotional well-being.  As the Psalter’s Infinite Intelligence, Provision and Protector, Almighty God perfectly possesses the power to preserve the Psalter.  Self-reliance is meaningless.  The Psalter realizes rewards and blessings of being still in the presence of God and allowing God’s favor to bestow unimaginable joys, mysteries and experiences upon the Psalter.

In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat experiences God’s defense against three formidable armies.  Three fierce rivals decide simultaneously to attack the nation.  Jehoshaphat, anxious at this threat, declares a period of fasting and prayer which includes new born babies!  The king despairs to such an extent that he cannot eat or sleep.  Still, he wisely and reasonably prepares for battle.  On the day of the conflict, after offering praise and thanksgiving to God, Jehoshaphat learns from God that he will not have to fight after all.  Rather, the Lord will fight for the king and His people.  “This battle is not yours; it is the Lord’s.  Stand aside and see the salvation of God.”  Jehoshaphat watches the Lord confuse the three armies of His foes; they eventually destroy each other. 

The Psalter’s and Jehoshaphat’s experiences reinforce the necessity of maturing in our trust in God’s faithful promises.  We can relate these two sacred stories to our current challenges.  If our financial situation mirrors a natural disaster, we can appeal to God for wisdom and resolution.  If threatened with termination, we can let God fight our “enemies” and defend us.  Should we receive a diagnosis which means that our physical life hangs in the balance, we can commit this challenge to the Infinite Intelligence of our loving Heavenly Father.  Summarily, being still and standing aside rather than being indicators of weakness are actually practical and pragmatic means of spiritual growth and personal development.

Celebrating the Extraordinary Life of Nelson Mandela and The People's Struggle in South Africa - Part One

Celebrating the Extraordinary Life of Nelson Mandela and

The People’s Struggle in South Africa

“Albeit an extraordinary human, Nelson Mandela [was] a human being nonetheless.”  One of Mr. Mandela’s daughters reputedly offered those sober words in response to an inquiry regarding her impressions of the recently released movie, A Long Walk to Freedom, depicting the life of her much beloved and venerated father.  She further suggested the necessity of viewing the film in silence and solitude to allow her to grapple honestly with the contrast between the heroic and mythological figure of late twentieth century international relations and her very human father who was as susceptible to mistakes, error, temptation and fear as any other person.  Mandela’s daughter’s insistence upon a balanced assessment of her father’s life and legacy predicts the forthcoming judgment of history.  Within the next quarter of a century and beyond, the post-apartheid gloss and grandiloquent characterizations of historical heroes will yield to the hard, realistic and sober analysis of history.  Future generations throughout the world and Black South Africans specifically will assess Mr. Mandela’s legacy and share their perspective of its successes and failures. 

Contemporarily, with praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God, I celebrate his inspiration for his nation and the world.  Among the countless lessons he taught us upon his release from twenty-seven years of unjust imprisonment are the importance of forgiveness and the necessity of forsaking bitterness and revenge.  Though he forgave his oppressors, he rightly insisted upon truth, dignity, honor and respect as conditions and means of achieving reconciliation.  History’s future judgment will determine if his decisions as the first duly and democratically elected Black President of the Republic of South Africa were merely symbolic yet profound and enduring or whether his governance actually laid an economic, political and social foundation and infrastructure to enable future generations of Black South Africans to actualize their individual and collective potential.  Nevertheless, history will forever vindicate Mr. Mandela and countless and nameless millions of his people for their commitment to a vision of country free of rabid and reprehensible apartheid.  As we celebrate his extraordinary life and legacy, we do as justly as we simultaneously honor and commemorate the anonymous persons who literally gave their lives for a free South Africa.

Wholeheartedly, I suggest we discard Carlyle’s “great man of history” thesis as we rightly celebrate Mr. Mandela’s contributions to ending apartheid and building a post-apartheid South Africa.  I suggest we temper grandiose characterizations of his role in the people’s struggle for justice and freedom.  Due veneration for his heartfelt commitment to the liberation of his people does not necessitate concretizing a mythic personality who accomplished grand deeds with unusual foresight and superhuman motives.  The people’s struggle is always greater than any one individual.  Admittedly, the confluence of historical and contemporary circumstances catapults a person to leadership and celebrity.  Yet, it is generations of Black South Africans who painstakingly walk toward freedom with great sacrifice to their marriages, families, livelihood and physical lives comprise the movement to end apartheid and create a brighter future for their posterity.  As we appropriately honor Mr. Mandela’s seminal role without yielding to the sentimentality and meaningless grandiloquent descriptions, we equally celebrate each past, present and future person who gave, sacrifices and expands this just cause.

We cannot allow contemporary and historical grandeur to overshadow the continual struggle which Black South Africans face.  The HIV/AIDS epidemic equates with genocide.  Western and multinational pharmaceutical companies have a moral and ethical obligation to utilize their resources and philanthropy to retard the devastation this disease reeks daily upon South Africa.  Literally hundreds of thousands of children are orphans as both parents have died because of HIV/AIDS.  It is not possible to estimate the long-term effect upon the nation’s gross national product, familial and social structures, governance, education systems and participation in the global village.  Many South Africans still reside in shanty towns and other forms of entrenched poverty.  They deserve the development of public and affordable housing, public education, healthcare, job training for the twenty-first century, civil and human rights and access to the arts parallel to the New Deal programs of the Roosevelt Administration and the Great Society and War on Poverty programs of the Johnson Administration.  Expansion of national infrastructure inclusive of replacing shanty towns with the equivalent of Habitat For Humanity homes and extending public utilities and medical clinics to impoverished, disenfranchised and economically disadvantaged Black South Africans are concrete and practical means of celebrating Mr. Mandela’s legacy.  Conceivably, his vision of a post-apartheid South Africa necessitated the distribution of economic, governmental and other social resources in a just and equitable manner thereby offering human dignity and respect to each citizen.  I posit celebrations of his life justly ask the nations of the world that benefited handsomely from investments in the apartheid regime which exploited immeasurably Black South African workers to return and reinvest in a new and free Republic of South Africa.

Celebrating the Extraordinary Life of Nelson Mandela and The People's Struggle in South Africa - Part Two

Celebrating the Extraordinary Life of Nelson Mandela and

The People’s Struggle in South Africa – Part Two

Mr. Mandela’s ability to vanquish hatred and bitterness is one of the most inspirational aspects of his life story.  He spent nearly ten thousand days in prison.  Cinematic depictions reflect years of hard labor in a rock quarry.  As I write on the occasion of his death and following his service as President of the Republic South Africa, it is easy to romanticize that experience.  Essentially, there is nothing idealistic about unjustly depriving an undeserving man of nearly twenty-seven years of his life.  Still, it appears he learned one of the greatest spiritual lessons during his incarceration.  Mandela learned how to forgive genuinely.  His actions following his release reveals he definitely learned how to forgive.  As a consequence, he was able to teach a nation this vital spiritual discipline as the world watched in awe.  Working in sub-human labor conditions during his imprisonment, he listened clearly to the voice of Almighty God as he progressively understands the radicalism of God’s love and grace which extend equally to all believers in South Africa whether White, Colored or Black.  The spiritual motifs associated with Mandela’s prison years remind me of the biblical story of Joseph whose brothers sell him into slavery.  After decades of separation inclusive of a period of unjust imprisonment, Joseph and his brothers reunite.  Amazingly, Joseph forgives his brothers and provides for them in the midst of one of the worst recorded famines in the Ancient Near East.  Similarly, Mandela forgives his Afrikaner brothers and provides a way for redemption, reconciliation and restoration as their brothers throughout the world watch in amazement. 

Still, I refuse to romanticize human suffering in a manner that I despise; I imagine Mandela’ daily difficulty in acquiring the spiritual attribute of forgiveness.  The sweat that drenched his clothing manifested the putrid hatred that threatened his mind, heart and soul.  How could a man of his intellect, abilities and providentially determined destiny genuinely resist bitterness and resentment?  Did he lose hope at any point?  How was he able to persevere toward freedom, physical and spiritual?  Did thoughts of revenge form?  Exactly how was he able to forgive?  A man of lesser character would have internalized hatred and bitterness.  It would have consumed him perhaps cancer may have manifested in his body.  Twenty-seven years is a lengthy period of unjust incarceration because of just advocacy on behalf of oppressed, subjugated and disenfranchised people.  I marvel at Mr. Mandela’s ability to overcome a very human and understandable tendency toward outrage.  His willingness to forgive will remain forever as a cardinal pillar of his legacy. 

History usually vindicates visionaries who see far beyond their present circumstances.  The outpouring of genuine gratitude for Mr. Mandela’s example of patient justice that resisted vengeance foreshadows the positive light of history’s forthcoming sober judgment of personal and political life.  Hopefully, his vision of freedom that incorporates all citizens regardless of color, ethnicity or social strata will become a permanent paradigm for leadership within the twenty-first century global village.  Civil liberties, individual rights, economic progress, religious tolerance and political enfranchisement are birth rights of all residents of the international community.  Personifying the hopes and dreams of countless millions of his people, Mr. Mandela taught the world the non-negotiable necessity of truth and justice in reconciliation.  In the spirit of the Kairos document, we have the perpetual moral, ethical and political obligation to expand upon his example and achievements.  As we build upon the foundation for justice and peace which coexist as a hand in a tailored glove, we must utilize the resources of the international community to revitalize the economic infrastructure, eliminate poverty, eradicate HIV/AIDS, expand political power sharing and institutionalize racial and social reconciliation not only in the Republic of South Africa but throughout the international community. 

I conclude this tribute by reiterating the obligation we have to remember the countless and nameless millions of Black South Africans who sacrificed lavishly to create the nation their children currently enjoy.  Regrettably, celebrations of heroic personalities often overshadow and ignore these seminal contributions of average persons.  I hope historians, archivist, museum curators and other relevant officials will undertake the painstaking process of retrieving any information that enables future generations of South Africans to know, thank and celebrate any verifiable ancestors in the struggle against apartheid.  I envision visiting museums and monuments in Capetown, Johannesburg, Durban and elsewhere with walls of remembrance similar to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC.  Further, I hope to view an official registry compiled and authorized by the South African government.  Of course, I look forward to reading a well researched and critically acclaimed historical account of the people’s contribution to the anti-apartheid movement that parallels any forthcoming biography of Mr. Mandela.  Both books are necessary to have a balanced and complete account.

“Blessed are the dead in the Lord, for they rest from their labors.”   These words from Revelation are most appropriate as we commend Mr. Mandela to Almighty God with thanksgiving and praise for his inimitable life and contributions.  O Gracious, Loving and Eternal God, “the Giver of every good and perfect gift,” grant unto our brother, Nelson, eternal rest and let Thy love, kindness and light perpetually shine upon him.