Everybody is talking about Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp. A terrible tragedy! A murdered women, two shattered families, a rocked world, and the once inspirational hero to many, is now degraded as a fallen-hero.
History will tell us that many a hero has risen and just as many have fallen. Tis the nature of humanity I guess.
Be that as it may, my concern is not whether Oscar murdered Reeva or not. Let that be for God to know and for the courts to decide, and may truth prevail. However, My concern lies in the fabric of so-called-christians whom have appointed themselves as judge and persecutor. Every Christian whom has forwarded, told, or participated in an Oscar joke, has, by default, claimed this status.
I am deeply saddened at the intensity in which Christians have resorted to this behaviour. Do they not know that their call as a Christ follower is to love? Pray for those who have fallen and have lost loved ones? To Be like Jesus?
Every time a joke is sent, a judgment call is made, or a negative comment is uttered, we are, ourselves, persecuting the body of Christ to which we belong. Do people not realise that every time a joke is sent, we increase the brokenness of this event (like throwing petrol onto a fire)?
Our duty is not to destroy, but to build up. Love, not judge. Unite, not isolate.
We have all fallen at some point, in some way in our lives. So let me ask you this; if you made a horrible mistake (planned or accidentally), would you want people to draw close to you, help, love and guide you? Or would you prefer jokes being told at your expense, judgments made over you, gossip spread about you?
Then ask yourself; when any atrocity happens, How would Jesus respond to that situation? How would you want Jesus to respond to you? How would you want Christians to respond to you?
My prayers are with the broken Pistorius and Steenkamp families. May truth prevail and may justice be met. And may Christians start acting like Jesus.
Keep the SON in your eyes!
Rev. Kevin Zondagh
Minister at Beaconsfield Methodist Church.
Kimberley.
South Africa.
082 789 2143
053 842 0972
twitter: lamamonk
