It's been impossible for me to blog my thoughts about the last few weeks. Part of the problem is that I haven't known where to start, or what to say. The other part was that most of my immediate family members were trapped in a volatile part of the country - lying low, scared for their lives. I've experienced a helplessness these last few days that was no doubt shared by many Kenyans, a fact that made it no easier to bear. I am extremely grateful that they (my family members that is) are all well; escorted by armed policemen to safety on Friday last.
What a polarized situation we find ourselves in! It's reached the point now where one side of the country is calling for peace and the other side for justice - as if the two can be separated. Even the church has not been spared this polarization. Many church leaders have condemned the segment of the church that seems to be calling for peace at all costs. And others have expressed uneasiness about the segment that seems to believe that justice is the ultimate goal, collateral damage notwithstanding.
I've lost count of the number of conversations I've had with friends from either side of the political divide, who believe their perspective is the only one that is justified.
To loosely quote Nobel Laureate Wangari Mathai, if ever there was a time for greatness, that time is now! As Christians, we must be on the forefront of pushing for peace and justice. We must practice humbly listening and empathizing with those who take the other view. We must rise above pointing fingers, and learn to carry our own responsibility. And we must stop thinking that Kibaki & Raila are the only players in this drama - God will not hold us accountable for their actions but for our own, or lack thereof.
The bible says it well in Micah 6:8, 'He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God'
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2 comments:
Hi Pastor M.
I read this before and was struck by the phrase: "we must carry our own responsibility."
What, in your opinion, does that look like in practical terms?
Hi R,
Glad to hear from you! My observation is that depending on our view-point, all Kenyans/communities involved are victims and perpetrators. Rather than focus on what the 'other side' is guilty of, we need to empathetically seek to understand where 'they' are coming from and validate their perspective. Humility earns us the right to speak and be heard in turn. Then together we can seek to be part of the solution. What say you?
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