Being Frank

What's love got to do with it?

William Shakespeare wrote in Twelfth Night “If music be the food of love, give me excess of it that surfeiting my appetite may sicken and so die.”

There is an interesting connection between music and love! Music, besides being an art form in which the medium sound organised in time, has the ability to provoke emotions. Have you ever had an experience when you hear a song and it results in emotion flooding back about a time, a person, or a relationship from the past?  Music can influence the ambience and mood in a room.

Music is an integral part of our culture, and it is becoming more and more a part of people’s everyday lives. If one asked people why they listened to music, they would most likely say that they do it because it relaxes them, puts them in a good state of mind, reminds them of happy memories, or organises their thoughts and helps them be productive.

I like singing songs to express how I am feeling, and at times enjoy listening and singing along with oldies. Admit it, when no one is looking, you pull out your old New Kids on the Block tapes and start singing 'Hangin Tough' or your ABBA records. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Music makes a person feel good or bad or in love. It affects you. It's powerful and strong and beautiful. I still sing 'Ballerina Girl’ by Lionel Ritchie when no one is listening!

There always will be a connection between music, emotion and love.

Love is a strange thing. It can be the most amazing feeling in the world, or it can really hurt, but in the end love is something that most, if not all of us, will face.

As a word, love can be found worldwide and is often used to describe compassion and/or emotional attachment. The greatest number of songs ever written has been about love. They seem to start off talking about love but ending in heartbreak. One song that has got me thinking is Tina Turner’s song "What's love got to do with it? What's love, but a second hand emotion?"

Tina Turner, along with many artists before and after her, has written songs about love, but what is love? Why do people say they see fireworks when they fall in love? Why do your knees go weak, your palms sweat, your stomach does flip-flops and you begin to stammer when you fall in love? What is it about emotions, including love, that seem to affect your entire body, both mentally and physically? Everyday, people talk about feeling happy, feeling sad, feeling anxious...and so on, but what causes emotions, in particular, what causes someone to say they are in love?

Emotions play an important role when learning and memory circuits are being established. The strength of the synaptic connection that is formed when a memory is created is directly connected to the strength of the emotions at the time. This is why trivial events are easily forgotten and why emotional patterns are hard to change. This also might help to explain why those marriages that have lasted so long will last even longer. During adulthood the neural connections continue to change more slowly and less frequently.

Real love is an unconditional commitment to an imperfect person. Most of us wait for the feeling of love to come upon us before we act on that feeling. But right thinking produces right behavior - the feelings will follow. Choose to show the other person love, even if you don't feel like it. The feelings will come! Here is a general guide to loving. Love is the continual act of unconditionally putting the needs of others before your own.

Love can cause war; in the cases of love of religion and the love of money; war can cause people to steal and murder, it can lead to suicide and shatter marriage and family life, it can spread disease and give birth to evil; but love is eternal and cannot be eliminated; it is what makes people human.

There are many combinations, all of which form some kind of love. Is there passion and friendship but very little commitment? This is defined as "passionate love." Are you committed but feel no passion or friendship? This is called "empty love." What most people ultimately desire, is "TRUE LOVE," the total package: passion, intimacy, friendship and commitment in one healthy relationship. It's the most fulfilling love. It is unconditional, and in my opinion the only "CHOICE".

Love is about commitment, it is about seeing it through to the end! Love that is self-seeking always ends in pain!

Here are some ideas that could help you love:

1. Say it. When you say the words “I love you,” do they carry with them the desire to show someone you love them or do they carry with them what you want to feel? And when you say it make sure you really mean it and are willing to do anything for that person.

2. Empathize. Put yourself in someone else's shoes. Rather than impose your own expectations or attempt to control them, try to understand how they feel, where they come from, and who they are; and realise how they could also love you back just as well.

3. Love unconditionally. If you cannot love another person without attaching stipulations, then it is not love at all, but deep-seated opportunism (one who makes the most of an advantage, often is not mindful of others). If your interest is not in the other person as such, but rather in how that person can enhance your experience of life, then it is not unconditional. If you have no intention of improving that person’s life, or allowing that person to be themselves and accepting them as they are, and not who you want them to be, then you are not striving to love them unconditionally.

4. Expect nothing in return. That doesn't mean you should allow someone to mistreat or undervalue you. It means that giving love does not guarantee receiving love. Realise that someone may have a different way of showing his or her love for you; do not expect to be loved back in exactly the same way.

5. Realise it can be lost. If you realise that you can lose the one you love, then you have a greater appreciation of what you have. Think how blessed you are to have someone to love.

Play on music and love!

Philippians 2:1-5

 1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Forgiveness - it will confine or refine you

I have been thinking about the power of forgiveness. It has been on my mind for a number of reasons these past few days. One reason was Nelson Mandela’s 90^th birthday, which we South Africans celebrated on 18^th July. Happy birthday Madiba! His character and person got me thinking!

To me, Mr. Mandela has been a great example of the power of forgiveness. There is a difference I believe between those who forgive and those who are forgiven. The reward of each category is different. A speech Mr. Mandela delivered in 1990 highlights what I am talking about.

He said, "We especially should learn to forgive each other because when you intend to forgive, you heal part of the pain, but when you forgive you heal completely. As Africans, we have suffered in terms of slavery and colonialism for a very long time. Forgiveness has remained our best cultural heritage’’ (February 11, 1990).

According to Mandela, when you forgive, you maintain your true personal identity. Secondly, you enhance a cohesive situation in terms of unity within the society, and thirdly, you create a continuity of social values as a role model to the younger generation.

Have you ever met those people, the ones who seem to rehash the past forever? The ones who seem to live in their memories more than in the present? The ones who can’t seem to get past some issue, some hang-up, some roadblock in their past? Living (or dying) as if they are still chained to something years ago?

Our trouble is not when we know we need to forgive; it’s when we think we don’t have to forgive. After all, this is one of those blog posts that you’re wishing someone else read. It’s someone else’s problem, not yours. Someone else is bitter; someone else has a problem. But not you! You are OK! You are allowed to be bitter. You are allowed to fester and stew. You are allowed to hold a grudge because of what happened to you. And if I knew what had happened to you, I wouldn’t expect you to forgive anyone. Learn to forgive, especially if you are a parent. Forgiveness is unconditional although there are often consequences because what we sow we reap. A family culture that embraces forgiveness can eliminate the seeds of bitterness, resentment, and rebellion before they have a chance to grow.

Many people go through life not knowing they are forgiven. The stigma and guilt associated with that result in shame. They remain imprisoned behind the walls of shame. I have been incarcerated in that place and know the pain, isolation and torment it brought to my soul. The words “you are forgiven” or “I forgive you” are the keys that unlock that prison. Say you are sorry; ask for forgiveness instead of sweeping things under the carpet and hoping that they are going to go away.

Unconditional Forgiveness

It’s true that I don’t know what has happened to you. But there is someone who does know, who knows all your pain and when He forgives you, you are free through and through.

In the book of Revelation 2:17 there are two promises. The first is of “hidden manna” and the second is a white stone with a new name inscribed on it. So what is the significance of the white stone and how does it apply to forgiveness and our lives?

Black and white stones were used by judges in Pergamos (the city to which the message was written) to convey their verdict.
A black stone indicated a guilty verdict and conveyed judgment.
A white stone indicated acquittal or pardon. 

On this white stone is a new name. God occasionally grants new names to mark a new relationship or responsibility. For example, Abram became Abraham and Saul (of Tarsus) became Paul.

It was customary in the days of the early church for converts to take on a new name at baptism, to signify one’s life-changing rebirth (and because many-Gentile converts-were named after pagan deities)

Those who are forgiven have new names inscribed upon a white stone!

I am glad I am forgiven and can forgive!

Our attitude on forgiveness will either confine us or refine us.

Revelation 2:17

17He, who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

 

 

 

Beat it or Eat it!!

  Beat your pride or eat humble pie!

The usual world standard says if you want to climb higher and be somebody you must push, fight, claw, and work your way to the top of the heap. The world says the way up is up! You are number one! I have seen this play out in my life, driven by my hunger for success. There have been times when I have been so focused on succeeding that I have not realized how blinded I was by my own pride. The casualties were almost always relationships – relationships with people whom I really valued.  But sadly I valued my pride more.

The reality is, most of us struggle with pride. We do not always recognize it! Pride  lurks just below the surface of our lives, and we aren’t even aware it’s there until there is some sudden example of it.

Someone once said “pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick except the one who has it”. In the Catholic list of the seven deadly sins, pride used to be called vanity. The Dutch painter, Bosch, painted a picture of each of the seven sins and for pride and vanity, he painted the picture of a woman looking at her face in a mirror held by the devil. We can see pride and vanity in others, but we are usually blind to it in our own lives.

Those of you who listened to music before the invention of the CD will remember the song by Carly Simon, “You’re So Vain.” Carly Simon never revealed who she was talking about when she wrote it, but she did date Warren Beatty, who dumped her. And he did call her up after the song and thanked her for writing it about him! The words say:

“You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht.
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye; Your scarf it was apricot.
You had one eye in the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte. (That’s a French dance where the dancer pranced around)
And all the girls dreamed that they’d be your partner–
They’d be your partner, and...You’re so vain; you probably think this song is about you.
You’re so vain; I’ll bet you think this song is about you. Don’t you? Don’t you?”

I know you’re hearing that tune right now in your head!

Some of you are so vain you probably think this blog is about you, don’t you, don’t you? Well, if you don’t think it’s about you, it probably IS!

How is your PQ? (Pride Quotient) I did not fare too well! God help me!

Try this test

Pride self-test:   

1. Do you consider yourself to be better than other people?
   
2. Do you refrain from doing things that would be embarrassing?
3. Do you let what others may think about you hold you back from doing things?
4. Do you have trouble admitting when you are wrong?
5. Do you consider yourself to always be right?
6. Do you get angry when someone doesn't agree with you?
7. Do you look down on others because of their race, gender, creed, education, position, personal hygiene or appearance?
8. Do you find yourself habitually interrupting people in conversations to give your comments?
9. Do you enjoy being the centre of attention at parties?
10. Do you feel that you have an answer for everything?
11. Do you strive to impress others with your wealth, your possessions, how you drive, body appearance, athletic ability, professional ability, or humour?

If the majority of your answers were yes, then you need to pay attention!

There are many people who criticise people for their relationships with God and what that produces.  Pride has the tendency to criticize humble efforts. I was reminded again on Saturday night when I attended the Bosom Buddies Winter Wonderland Ball how honoured I am to be associated with people who live their lives for others. Mel, a woman in our church, has given her life to making other women’s lives better! This is because her love for God and love for people is more important to her than herself!

When we humble ourselves God gives us more grace. Grace to overcome temptation, to see the best in others, to live peaceably with all people, and grace to succeed in life!

When we fail to beat our pride, we will eat humble pie!

To eat humble pie, in common usage is to apologize and face humiliation for a serious error. The expression derives from umble pie, which was a pie filled with liver, heart and other offal, especially of cow but often deer or boar.  Umble evolved from numble, (after the French nomble) meaning 'deer's innards'.

Are you licking your lips yet?

James 4:6

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Stand Up - With Unity

Life is a battle field! To win life’s battles we cannot live in isolation, we need to learn how to live in community.

One of the most spectacular events in Africa each year is the wildebeest (gnu) migration which takes place on the Serengeti game reserve. It has been described by many as one of the greatest natural events in the wildlife world. It is also the time when the lion have a feeding frenzy. They identify the young and the weak and while the wildebeest are lazing about in the sparse shade on the plain the lions come for their easy pickings. If the wildebeest would just STAND UP as a community the lions would flee. There is strength in living in community.

Living in community can be looked at in the light of two interpretations. The Latin term communitas means “the same”, and is derived from communis, which means "common, public, shared by all or many". This is what was used to describe the early church in the book of Acts 2, “They had all things in common”. It can also be understood as being derived from two words: com meaning “with,” and “unity.”

The antithesis of community is individualism: that is pretty much all about self : “me”, “my needs”, “my dreams”, and self-preservation.

The term “narcissism” comes from the Greek god named Narcissus who was known for his beauty. Many fell in love with him, but he spurned all lovers, until one day he became thirsty and went to a pool of water where he clearly saw his own reflection. He fell deeply in love with himself and could not pull himself away from his reflection, even to eat, so that he ultimately died. His death was caused by total self-absorption. How many people’s dreams and achievements are never realised because of a complete preoccupation with themselves? When we worship ourselves, we become our own god and never experience community.

Have you noticed how we as a society are moving away from concern about family, community and what is good for society as a whole, to a culture that is narrowing its concern to what is good for us personally as individuals? There is a rise of radical individualism in our culture which is committed only to self.  We often only approach God on these terms too! The prosperity movement has capitalised on this self-centered lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with prosperity as long as we are living for God and others. However, God is not our cosmic butler who is there to serve our dreams and aspirations and sometimes knuckle head ideas. He is almighty God who allows us to share in His plans and His Kingdom and prospers us as we serve Him and His people on earth.

There are five elements of  a true sense of community: 1) membership, 2) influence, 3) integration and fulfilment of needs, 4) shared emotional connection, and 5) living for a purpose greater than ourselves. Opposed to these are the five elements of  individualism:  1) Lone ranger, 2) no influence, 3) independence, 4) isolation and no connection, and 5) living for self.

Let’s stand up together, in unity!

Just think what kind of impact we could have on this world.

Jesus’ prayer for the church was that we might be ONE in the unity of love. He said, “My prayer is. . . that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. . . . May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me” (John 17:20-23)

Words

Words are powerful! In fact the Bible tells us that our faith is built up by hearing the Word of God!

Words can bring life, they can destroy, they can also cause confusion and be misleading.

I remember, as a child, burning my hands on the stove and my mother putting butter on it to stop the burning.  However, little did she know that it actually served to fuel the cooking of my hand!  Why did she use butter?  Because that’s what her mother used, and my grandmother’s mother before that, and so on.  It's easy to fall into the myth or old wives’ tale trap: A friend passes along a tip, and then you pass it on to several individuals you know.  One day you hear the same tip repeated, so you figure it must be true. Today, we know that if you burn your hand on a hot stove you should hold it under cold running water to stop the burning.  Myths carry on over time until we learn that that’s all they are – Myths!

Myth is derived from the Greek word mythos, which means "word of mouth."

An old wives' tale or old wives' saws is a proverb, much like an urban legend which is generally passed down by old wives to a younger generation. Such 'tales' usually consist of superstition, folklore or unverified claims with exaggerated and/or untrue details.

Most old wives' tales are false and are used to discourage unwanted behavior, usually in children. Among the few tales with grains of truth, the veracity is likely coincidental. I can remember a couple of them shared with me when I was a kid. I was told that “if you smoke when you are young it would stunt your growth”. So I should be way taller than I am now right? Here is another one: “if you swallow your gum your stomach will stick to your back” of “if the wind changes direction while you are pulling that ugly face then your face will stay like that”. Well that explains what happened to my face then!

I am having fun thinking of these so here are a few more that you might relate to:

Eating carrots improves your night vision - This tale started in WWII when the British spread a rumour that their plane spotters were eating carrots to give them improved vision, concealing the truth about the invention of radar.

Staying out in the cold without a coat causes pneumonia – bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae (as well as certain viruses), is the cause, not cold weather.

Handling a baby bird will cause it to be rejected by its parents - Most birds have such a limited sense of smell, they can't detect the scent of a human.

Words are powerful things and we should think about how we use them. They can build someone up or tear them down!

Poorly chosen words can kill enthusiasm, impact self-esteem, lower expectations and hold people back. Well chosen ones can motivate, offer hope, create vision, impact thinking and alter results. I learned in 16 years in ministry that my words have power over my actions. They also impact and influence people I speak them to.

Power is generated by using the words in such a way that they trigger emotional responses in the person who hears or reads them. These are enormous powers, largely because they are invisible. Others can thus be persuaded, manipulated and controlled without their knowledge.

The atmosphere for a great marriage is usually determined by words. A child thrives in an environment of affirming words and love.

Our words can refresh and encourage someone who is discouraged and ready to give up and quit. Words can give new life to a dead relationship.

We must use our words wisely, to build up and not tear down. Words are powerful! 

Proverbs 18:21

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Who's the Boss?

I was walking down the road the other day when I ran into a mum from our Church who was pushing her baby in his pram(buggy). She made a comment to me that got me thinking. She said, "he determines where I go!" My mouth shot open in response and said to her, "no, you determine where he goes!" This is such a common problem that starts in the cradle or pram. What we teach our children is that their needs determine their direction in life. It feeds the hungry monster called PRIDE.

These permissively raised children grow up with a warped perspective where the entire universe revolves around their wants and needs. A permissively raised child will often see no need to seek God, but indeed will believe God has wronged them when everything does not go according to their will.

Parents, we have got to see the big picture!

As parents we are leaders in the home and we should realise that we are setting our children up for failure if we do not lead them properly and end up being led by them. As parents we spend the rest of our lives trying to sort out our kids and their rebellion. This rebellion is usually a desire for power and authority beyond what is ordained by God.

Children who were well led by their parents become great leaders, because they know how to follow and understand authority. Godly leaders must be willing to submit themselves to those in leadership above them. Willing subordination at one point may very well qualify a person for greater leadership responsibilities.

Child leaders are self-appointed leaders.

Self-appointed leaders operate out of illegitimate authority. Parents are appointed by God to lead their families; that is why God gives parents (leaders) children (followers). Households led by children are always dysfunctional. A self-appointed leader takes upon him/herself the authority and responsibility to which he/she has not been divinely called.

When we are older it is harder to change.

As a result of dysfunctional leadership patterns and pride we struggle with "who the Boss" is. We tend to attempt to sort the problem out ourselves before we take it to God. Almost every time without fail we end up in a worse position because of our PRIDE getting in the way.

I read that in a certain cotton factory, the management had sign posted everywhere that said, "If you get your threads tangled, send for the Boss." There was a new worker who got her threads tangled, so she tried to untangle the threads herself. But the more she tried to untangle them; she only made the problem worse.

Then when she recognized she couldn’t handle the problem, she sent for boss. So, he came in and looked at her tangled threads and asked her why she didn’t send for him when her threads first got tangled? She said she had done her best to untangle them herself. But he told her, "No you didn’t, because doing your best was sending for me."

Many times we get our threads tangled. The more we try to untie our tangles, the knottier they get.  No matter how small the problem is, we can’t handle it; all we can do is mess it up. That’s why the Lord says "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Whenever a problem comes up, send for the Boss!

Patterns of leadership

Parents I want to encourage you, lead your children and do not allow them to lead you! Parents can count on God for success in raising their children if they follow him with an udivided heart. Scripture commands us to worship God with our whole heart, mind, and soul. Parents who serve God must provide their children with a good example. Parents who love God with their whole heart are not apathetic when it comes to the condition of their children’s faith. Teach them through your example of going to a higher authority. Parenting is a high stakes venture. Many parents fail to appreciate how much is riding on the decisions they make. Decide to be the boss!

1 Peter 5:6

6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Revolting Leaders

  There is a mould out there into which all people are being squeezed! What is going to make us any different if we tolerate being forced into the same mould? Conformists are people who take on the mould of norms and values that they unquestioningly inhale from culture and tradition.

We are not called to be conformists; we are called to be revolting leaders! 

I want to explain this word revolt to you from two derivatives in Old Italian and Latin. The Old Italian is rivoltare, meaning to overthrow.  Paul the Apostle encourages us in Romans 12:1 not to be conformed by, but to "overthrow" the patterns of this world.

Timothy tells us what these patterns look like; he shows us what the product of this mould will be.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV

But mark this: {1} there will be terrible times in the last days. {2} People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, {3} without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, {4} treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- {5} having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Hard to believe that this was written some 2000 years ago, there is nothing new under the sun!
 

The Latin derivative is revolvere meaning to roll back. We need to use the authority that we have been given to bring or “roll back” “shalom” peace into this world where we love God and love people as He has instructed us to do.

Matthew 11:7-19 Jesus encourages us to use the authority we have been given to bring about peace. Jesus also encourages us to recover our taste for protest. Our protest is not that we are against something, but that we are for something. For God and His Kingdom, which is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost!

Jesus: “Do not be fooled about the nature of the generation in which you are to protest.”  One of the hallmarks of a conformist leader is that he or she has lost his/her prophetic voice.  Protest is costly; John the Baptist literally loses his head, gets beheaded by a wicked king Herod. That is perhaps why many leaders today want to do a deal with the world – trading in their authority for the pleasures the world has to offer.

Revolting leaders in the history of mankind are those who left a mark for God on their generation; they were men and women who loved, believed and made the Word of God a priority. They lived life out loud for His Kingdom!

Romans 12:1-2 (CEV)

1Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God. 2Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.

Cross Wired

 I want to be cross wired!

I have very inquisitive children who spend much of our conversation times asking questions, which can get a rather tiresome. My son Francis in particular has an unquenchable desire for information and loves history! He is fascinated about the origins and meanings of things. Well, to be honest I have a similar disposition to this kind of information that others might consider trivia. So we know where he gets it from then! Yip trivia!

One of my interests is the meanings and origins of idioms e.g "to kick the bucket" is believed to come from the fact that a person standing on a bucket with their head in a noose would kick the bucket so as to commit suicide! I want to know why we use these phrases and whether or not I am using them in the right context.

The word "cross" appears in a number of idioms! I will share a few with you just for interest sake.

"at cross-purposes"  if two people are at cross-purposes, they do not understand each other because they are trying to do or say different things but they do not know this.

"cross the line" if someone crosses the line they start behaving in a way that is not socially acceptable.

"Everyone has their cross to bear." a cross (someone has) to bear - an unpleasant situation or responsibility that you must accept because you cannot change it.

So you get the idea.

The cross is one of the most ancient human symbols. It is believed to have been used to represent the division of the world into 4 elements, however the intended purpose of the cross and what it represents today is unity. The cross represents the sacrifice the Father made to have man reunited with Him, it also reminds us of the Father's desire to see man united with man!

This word is well used in the English language but I am not sure if we always comprehend how powerful  the word is and what impact it has had  on the world.  The cross is a reminder of the unconditional love, grace and mercy of almighty God, who loves  man so much that He endured the cross for their sins! Awesome!

The term "wired" is used to describe our make up.  The life I  want to live is a life where the cross is the central theme  of how I am wired.  I  believe that God is calling men who  are serious about the cross. Who will live for  purpose greater than themselves. Who will love God, love people and reach the world. It takes courage to be cross wired! God give me courage!  Vance Havner said: " We need men of the cross, with the message of the cross, bearing the marks of the cross."

We are called to finish the race that the Lord has for us let's "cross the wire".

The "wire" is an analogy for the finish line. The first person to cross the finish line is the winner.  When a race is very close it is not clear who the winner is until they "cross the wire." A contest goes "down to the wire" when it comes right down to the finish line before the winner can be determined.

Oswald chambers : "All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell is terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning". 

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Com- Passion........With Passion

A view of the "refugee" camp we set up in Somerset West  Cape Town (click on pic for a larger view)

The opposite of Cold is… Hot.
The opposite of Young is… Old.
The opposite of Soft is… Hard.
The opposite of Sour is… Sweet.
The opposite of High is… Low.
The opposite of Rich is… Poor.
The opposite of Love is… Hate

I’m not so sure about that! From my own experiences, I have come to realize that the greatest insult against someone is not to hate them, it’s to be apathetic.

Here’s a definition of apathy:
Not taking any interest in anything. Not bothering to do anything. It’s a lack of emotion or concern, especially when it relates to matters of general concern.

Jesus said " And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." Here Jesus is telling us that the Kingdom of heaven will suffer violence, we are not immune from this disruptive behavior in life, however  we should not be passive about it. In fact the term "violent" take it by force, is not refering to anger but PASSION. When the Kingdom of heaven suffered violence Jesus's response was the passion of the Cross. He did something!

The life of Christ reflects for Christians the very essence of the meaning of compassion. It has inspired many Christians throughout the centuries to care for the lame, deformed, broken-hearted, sick, dying and those who are in need. Compassion is thus a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

Feeling compassion isn’t some kind of lovey-dovey sensation or throwing a tongue-in-cheek “pity party”. Compassion goes straight into the heart and will create a gut-wrenching feeling in which we empathetically identify with the brokenness of another person. Those who choose apathy are choosing to be emotionally absent. Those who choose compassion are choosing to become emotionally vulnerable. Both Jesus's  and the Father's emotions were engaged on the cross!

On Friday the 23rd 0f May 2008, I saw and experienced this very emotion  when thousands of foreign nationals were displaced in the Cape Town area due to the xenophobia attacks. I drove into the community of Nomzamo to help a young Zimbabwean women and her family get out before they got caught up in the violence. I arrived at the police station to collect her husband David, her children and their modest belongings. I was greeted by scores of disoriented and helpless looking people and their belongings all gathered  in the pouring rain.

After a few calls, I had managed to get a site to which we could move 400 people. It was chaos, Every Nation Somerset West and other churches in the area sprung into action. I witnessed the "violent" take it by force. By Sunday the number had grown to 754. We relocated these folk to a new location in a caravan park called Harmony Park. Now a week later as I write this blog we are looking after 2300 + men, women and children. I have witnesed this week people serving with (Com) passion.  Many lives have been impacted by the love of Jesus through emotion displayed in caring for others.

Have you noticed that some of the most amazing signs and wonders ever performed happened immediately after Jesus expressed emotion? Right before many of Jesus’ signs and wonders, he either: 1) wept, 2) showed anger, 3) rebuked, 4) was moved with compassion, 5) was deeply distressed, or 6) deeply sighed. Coupled with the emotion was action.

This week amidst the trauma, diorientation, frustration, anger, confusion, sadness and senseless violence I have witnessed a miracle! The Body of Christ in action com-passion! The violent are taking it by force! Many Churches took responsibility and joined hands, hearts and emotion. Thank you to all those who have passionately served to honor God and advance His Kingdom!

(Matt 25:40)
‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 

Mobocracy

  In Cape Town, a Somali shop- owner was shot dead on Friday, and Zimbabwean shack-dwellers in many of the communities of the Western Cape found letters ordering them to “vacate the area before Sunday”. You can read more here!

Xenophobic violence flared up on Friday the 23rd may 2008 in the morning and spread accross the Western Cape. In response to this, I made arrangements with a member of our congregation for a factory space to house foreigners. These folk were gathering at the police station in Nomzamo in Somerset West. There are a total of 20 000 people in the Western cape displaced from their homes through this xenophobic display of mobocracy.
Mobocracy, simply defined, is the subversion of a republic to the masses. When majorities subvert every arm of the system, one sees the "mobocracy" like the present reality. The truth is that it is a  minority group who are responsible for this.

On Friday evening we were in a humanitarian crisis and had 400 plus people in a place not set out for refuge, however our church and others from the community sprung into action and within 8 hours we were organised. I was staring into the faces of men, women and children who were in agony, in search for the "reason this is happening" link. It is hard not to be moved by compassion when you witness people who are left out in the rain with all their belongings with no where to turn to. These are people who have had their lives disrupted without warning. In my last post "where is your head" I addressed the issue of denial, and the failure of leadership to acknowledge problems and to provide solution to those problems. Now my worst fears have been realised and We are sweating away to ensure that these people called "foreigners" are kept safe and cared for.

I am horrified that we still have people in our nation who display such hideuos degrees of hatred towards others. People have been set on fire and burnt alive (warning not for the feint hearted), beaten, robbed, terrorised and tormented.

We now have men and women who have been stripped of thier dignity and are anxious about what tomorrow holds for them, staying in a tented village foreigners from all over Africa. They are safe and well provided for, but they are displaced and vulnerable.

I am caught in a web of emotion. I am angry about what is happening to these people, frustrated about the lack of leadership, appauled at the lack of regard for human life and sad that we have to put these people into camps. I have also been moved with compassion and I have been humbled by the possitive attitudes demonstrated by so many of these people.

Disasters are not always caused by physical factors. Several other factors may act together to produce human, environmental and material loss. In this case the disaster is caused by the lack of decisive leadership.

Whilst a democracy is important, it can very quickly turn to mobocracy. To add insult to injury the play of crony deplomacy has also fuelled the problems of Southern Africa. Mr Mbeki's failure to take a decisive stance on Zimbabwe and other issues has left a vacuum that has been occupied by this awful mobocracy.

Decisive leadership prevents this kind of evil from occuring. This kind of leadership is not popular, it is very likely the most costly thing you ever will do. And the chances are very good that it will never bring you riches or fame or praise in exchange for your great sacrifices.  But if you want to love God and others, and if you live your life now for the sake of eternity, then there is nothing better than being a decisive leader.

Well I have a choice in all of this, I can just sit and moan or I can choose to take decisive leadership, serve the displaced foreigners, love all parties and be light in a world of darkness.

Love and lead people!

Father, forgive us as a Nation for this display of hatred, we pray for peace and stability in our country. May I be the heart and hands of Jesus!

Exodus 20:21-22 "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.”