IF I PERISH, I PERISH...Breaking The Code of A Selfless Lifestyle
Scripture: "Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me; and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I also and my maids will fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and IF I PERISH, I PERISH." Esther 4:16, AMBV
Dearly beloved, today I want to invade your afternoon with a topic that might not be popular with today's folks. Yet without the sacrifices that were done in the past, many of us wouldn't be where we are today. And so briefly indulge me as we look at how to break the code of a selfless lifestyle.
Somewhere last year I the privilege of visiting the Elmina Castle in the Central Region of Ghana. As the tour guide took as round to show us what the slave masters did to the slaves that were brought to that castle before they were shipped overseas, he mentioned that before Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492, he first came to the Gold Coast. As a student of dialectic thinking, I started mulling his words in my mind to understand why America today is what it is as against my own country Ghana, the only conclusion that I could come to is the fact that many people of Africa descent do not know how to put their lives on the edge for successive generations.
Indeed, during the era of colonization, people of colour were so satisfied with their state such that they never wanted to move from their supposed safe haven to colonize other people. As a matter of fact many of our actions seems to confirm what the former president of South Africa, P. W. D. Botha said in his hate speech against blacks in 1985 that "They are good for nothing else but making noise, dancing, marrying many wives and indulging in sex." He continued by saying that "Let us all accept that the Black man is the symbol of poverty, mental inferiority, laziness and emotional incompetence." Now, as much as I disagree vehemently with President Botha about his views about blacks and for that matter Africans, I believe that our attitudes over the years has contributed to men like Botha spewing such unprintable words about us.
My dear friends, am I happy sharing such hate and diabolic speech about my people? No! But the truth and historical antecedent confirms that people of African descent lack the penchant to sacrifice. As I write, the whole world is engulfed with the issue of COVID-19 and strenuous efforts are being done by all manner of people including regional blocks to come out with a vaccine or cure for this virulent disease yet African Union is silent about this. Is it the case that we lack researchers and scientists to venture into this area or that we lack the financial wherewithal to finance such a project?
Dearly beloved, some people have put their lives on the line for us to get the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor James Mckweon who led the Church of Pentecost, which is now the fastest growing church in Ghana and blazing the trail in missions had to sacrifice his comfort by moving from Ireland to come to the Gold Coast infested with mosquitoes. My all-time missionary, William Carey, also left England to India just because of the gospel. What are we doing today for future generations to learn from us? Are we still going to wallow in economic mediocrity and allow some people to always lead us?
The time is now for as to say as Esther said that "if I perish, I perish." We need to learn the good example of Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His crown, throne, home, Father, numerous angels at His beck and call to stoop so low to save you and I. I hope you're aware that the decision Jesus took was very risky? Yes it was risky in the sense that if He hadn't been able to accomplish His task, He wasn't going to be reinstated to His former glory. And so let's again learn from the four lepers who found themselves behind the gate of Samaria during a time of famine. They said "If we say, We will enter the city–then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the army of the Syrians. If they spare us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die" (2Kgs. 7:4, AMBV).
It's time people of God to sacrifice for one another and ensure that we leave this place better than we came to meet it. We'll continue next week to look at why it has been that difficult for many people to sacrifice. Shalom!