Monday, March 07, 2016

Jesus Love: The world's greatest need!

Image source: pinterest.com

He's barely ten in a war-ravaged country, starving to death and sick to the bones. He's eaten nothing for three days save the loaf of bread he could steal from the roadside store in the other side of the city.
He escaped being caught by the whiskers!
What he needs? Jesus Love! Someone who'll reach out to him with some of it.

She's only 12 but for three years, she has been sexually and emotionally abused every night by her father and his friend. Her mom's long gone. She is afraid, trusts no one (no one!), vengeful, running low on self esteem and broken. She's even contemplated suicide. Scratch that, she has attempted it twice; on the second occasion she had to be rushed to the hospital after neighbours found her floating in the water tank.
All she needs? Just a tiny bit of Jesus Love! A tiny bit should do.
***
Mom and dad are constantly at each other's throat, they literally live like cat and rat (a la the legendary Tom and Jerry). It's a hellish experience for her. She is seriously thinking about running away from home. Actually, she's been contemplating eloping with the middle-aged man down the street who, at least, listens to her.
What she's crying out for? Jesus Love! Just some little bit of it!
***
Dad's got no time, he's busy running three businesses and conquering the world. Mom? Well, she's busy, too. She pursues her passion. Oh! How she loves making couture dresses and her designs rule runways in the fashion capitals! They haven't been home for three months - and that's the norm!
Nanny has always taken care of him. He even calls nanny 'mummy' and became so attached to her. Now, he's 11 and he and nanny are playing some dirty 'games'. Busy mom and dad are oblivious to this. Of course, they call in every now and then to 'check up on him'; they even buy him super expensive gifts and souvenirs from their travels! But he's starved of attention.
All he needed? Jesus Love. A spoonful should do.
***
She was born and dumped in a toilet by her homeless teen mom. She cried and cried for hours which rolled into days. No one heard her wails!
By the second day, she was gone! Her life ending before she got a chance to live it!
What would have made the difference? Some Jesus Love!
***
He faithfully served in the civil service during his halcyon days. Now, he's 85 and retired with nothing to fall back on. He's been trying to get his pension for 20 years! Along with other retired octogenarians, he's been under the scorching sun for hours in a bid to get his pension from the ministry. His frail body couldn't take it; he slumped, fainted. They tried to revive him to no avail. An ambulance was called for. It didn't arrive for what seemed like eternity. When it did, the crew belted out, 'sorry, there was serious traffic'.
By the time they got him to the hospital which was some 20km away. He was confirmed dead on arrival. He was gone!
Some Jesus Love would have made the difference! If only the government had some measure of it.
***
She was around five when she was sent out to hawk fruits on the streets.
Sometimes, she'd go to school and hawk afterwards; other times she'd hawk the entire day. She'd watch her mates dressed in clean uniforms walking hand in hand with their mummies and daddies to school and cry.
Until tragedy struck! She was lured and raped repeatedly by some guys. The pain was unbearable. She was broken beyond repair. Worse, she caught a STI and died a few months later.
She could have been alive if there was some Jesus Love!
***
Her husband had just lost his job. Heck, he was footing all the bills, how will the family survive? They lived on their savings while he searched for a new one. It was meagre, the money ran out. She decided to grab the bull by its horn. She dusted up her certificates and joined the job market.

She was hitting brick walls, constantly getting the 'sorry, we're not hiring', 'there's no opening currently', 'we'll get in touch with you' lines, until what seemed like a breakthrough.
Of the hundreds who applied and were grilled for the job, she was among the seven shortlisted. She punched the air with her fist in elation! "Yes," she thought, "I finally made it". But that was only the beginning...

Her world came crashing down when she was invited by her manager into his office. "I have a proposition for you", he announced as she took her seat. "You know we pay quite handsomely and many will go the extra mile to get a job here", he continued as she listened intently with a confused look on her face, wondering where he was headed. He then dropped the bombshell, "I have been watching you closely ever since you walked into this premise and I must say you are a really beautiful woman. You have an amazing body and I'd like a taste of it". Bang! It was like thunder! She couldn't believe her ears. It sent several shock waves down her spine.

"I'm sorry sir, but I can't grant your request. I'm a married woman with kids. My husband lost his job seven months ago and we're facing some money problems that's why I decided to look for a job," she managed to utter, almost gasping for breath. But her pleas fell on deaf ears. He was determined to have her. She was presented with a 'take it or leave it' option; it was either all or nothing! She was confused. At a crossroads. She thought about damning him and his offer and living with the consequence. But. "How about my family? Are we going to carry on suffering like this? The rent will soon be due and the kids have stayed at home for too long", she muttered to herself.

She caved in. The manager had his way. She got the job. She receives her first pay check plus huge bonuses for being a 'great staff'. The family is happy again (the rent is paid, the kids are re-enrolled in school), but mummy is not, she's dying slowly.
Mr. manager's demands are becoming too much and she's beginning to keep late nights - 8pm became 10pm, then 11pm, 12 midnight, 1am. 'I'm sorry honey, but I had to work late', 'I'm sorry honey, but we're preparing for a special presentation next week I had to work longer', were her usual lines after such late hours. It's starting to threaten her home. She now talks back at her husband. It deteriorates. The home is broken!
It could have averted with some Jesus Love!
***
Everywhere you look. Everywhere you turn. In the news. In our neighbourhoods. In the pages of newspapers. On social media. At our churches. At the office. There's someone who needs to be reached with some Jesus Love.

Jesus Love is the sort that doesn't seek anything in return; it gives all of itself. It's the kind that He demonstrated to lay down His life for all humans in the knowledge that some may not give a damn about His sacrifice! This kind is birthed in us by Jesus Himself. You can't Love Like Jesus without first loving Jesus!

Sometimes, I stop and ask myself, "if Jesus were to be physically among us, how would He treat the vulnerable, the helpless, the voiceless, the broken, the victims of poor governance and poor policies; those maimed by wars and communal clashes?" He'll give His life to serve them, you say? Absolutely! He'll fight their battles! He'll not only speak up for them, He'll provide for them - physically, spiritually and psychologically!
And guess what! Jesus is actually among us here on earth! Yes! He's in you. He's in me. And He still wants to express His love to all. Only this time through you, and through me. Will you let Him? You can be His mouth to speak up for the vulnerable; I can be His hands to reach out to the broken - all with Jesus Love in our hearts! Let Him birth His love in you by His Spirit. Only then can you love like Him.

This is a call to everyone everywhere; become an agent of Jesus Love! It's not a matter of race, political bias, religion, tribe or social class - it's a matter that affects all of humanity!
Our world will continue to be sick until we all Love Like Jesus and make that love the drive behind our thoughts and actions.
I have decided to Love Like Jesus. You should, too!

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