Today, 16 December 2013 in South Africa, we are celebrating Reconciliation Day.
Yesterday as a nation we laid to rest the man who steered and led a movement that caused South Africa to be known as the Rainbow Nation, the nation who demonstrated racial reconciliation to the world.
Tata Madiba was 95 years old of which he spent 27 years in prison for an ideal for which he was prepared to die for. On 20 April 1964, at his trial speech, defending his actions and goals he uttered these powerful words:
“I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a
democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
One thing I take from the first Democratic President of this beautiful nation is that, if you can dream it you can achieve it. He was prepared to die for this ideal but more than that he was prepared to live and see it be achieved. Today he is not here with us anymore but today I get to live this ideal because of his courage to walk the long walk to freedom, his and my freedom.
I will hopefully next year graduate with a Phd degree in Psychology from Stellenbosch University, a university that was previously reserved for white Afrikaners only. Tomorrow I am leaving for India on holiday, might I add, with a group consisting of blacks, Indians, an Afrikaans white girl and me. What an honour to be able to grab the opportunities that Nelson Mandela and so many others fought for. I cannot imagine my life being a cleaning lady or working on a farm or being a teacher or nurse as that was the only occupations reserved for coloured women. For those who know me, manual labour is not my thing, so once again thank you…for I would not have made it. I also cannot imagine just having coloured friends. What would my life be like
without the Boet and Saartjies and Tandi andThabo’s. Normally I challenge Christians who say that they have a heart for the nations but their friendship group does not reflect that… “I will reach out to them but you know, we don’t have enough in common to be friends, you asking too much now”.
I will also die for this ideal as this ideal is not fully in fulfillment yet. The laws have changed but the hearts of our people has not
really changed yet. I witness how many of my friends do not get accepted as a marriage partner due to the fact that “God could not possibly made us all equal- could He?” Marriage means two becoming one and how can I become one with them,
equal opportunities but not equal like that… This off course mostly come from the Christian community…indeed Madiba, an ideal I am prepared to die for. The church is still plagued with religiosity and a fear to embrace the fullness of God. It saddens me to witness the poverty, injustice and crime in this country that claims to be an 80% Christian country. Where is the love and the willingness to build the Kingdom where and when it matters??
We want to see heaven on earth, and we pray and sing songs, (which I love to do)…go on missions (which I also love to do). Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” – this part we are very familiar with. Verse 20 however is what brings the transformation, “and teaching
them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." And
please do not forget about Matthew 25.
Matthew 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe
you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
We do it all, we preach the good news of Jesus, we disciple, we reach out to the poor and we LOVE!! It’s not one or the other, it is it all. Thank you Tata for advancing the Kingdom… Romans 2:4 “ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” And in this country people are yet to see the goodness of God.
It’s an ideal that I am also prepared to die for I said, cause our first reconciliation is towards God, therefore we
go…
And heaven is not just healings and gold dust and stuff…
Revelations 7:9 “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”
This is a picture of heaven…
Lets continue to walk in the legacy of Tata Madiba and lets build the Kingdom of God, spreading the Good News of Jesus so people can be reconciled to God, allowing people to experience the GOODNESS of God through your life and by standing up against the injustices of this world. Loving your neighbor as yourself despite race and culture, Loving, unconditionally like Jesus
does.
As learned from the world icon and father of this nation, to be willing to die for an ideal means to first be willing to live for it!!
THE KINGDOM IS INSIDE OF YOU- LIVE IT!! – Luke 17:21
Yesterday as a nation we laid to rest the man who steered and led a movement that caused South Africa to be known as the Rainbow Nation, the nation who demonstrated racial reconciliation to the world.
Tata Madiba was 95 years old of which he spent 27 years in prison for an ideal for which he was prepared to die for. On 20 April 1964, at his trial speech, defending his actions and goals he uttered these powerful words:
“I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a
democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
One thing I take from the first Democratic President of this beautiful nation is that, if you can dream it you can achieve it. He was prepared to die for this ideal but more than that he was prepared to live and see it be achieved. Today he is not here with us anymore but today I get to live this ideal because of his courage to walk the long walk to freedom, his and my freedom.
I will hopefully next year graduate with a Phd degree in Psychology from Stellenbosch University, a university that was previously reserved for white Afrikaners only. Tomorrow I am leaving for India on holiday, might I add, with a group consisting of blacks, Indians, an Afrikaans white girl and me. What an honour to be able to grab the opportunities that Nelson Mandela and so many others fought for. I cannot imagine my life being a cleaning lady or working on a farm or being a teacher or nurse as that was the only occupations reserved for coloured women. For those who know me, manual labour is not my thing, so once again thank you…for I would not have made it. I also cannot imagine just having coloured friends. What would my life be like
without the Boet and Saartjies and Tandi andThabo’s. Normally I challenge Christians who say that they have a heart for the nations but their friendship group does not reflect that… “I will reach out to them but you know, we don’t have enough in common to be friends, you asking too much now”.
I will also die for this ideal as this ideal is not fully in fulfillment yet. The laws have changed but the hearts of our people has not
really changed yet. I witness how many of my friends do not get accepted as a marriage partner due to the fact that “God could not possibly made us all equal- could He?” Marriage means two becoming one and how can I become one with them,
equal opportunities but not equal like that… This off course mostly come from the Christian community…indeed Madiba, an ideal I am prepared to die for. The church is still plagued with religiosity and a fear to embrace the fullness of God. It saddens me to witness the poverty, injustice and crime in this country that claims to be an 80% Christian country. Where is the love and the willingness to build the Kingdom where and when it matters??
We want to see heaven on earth, and we pray and sing songs, (which I love to do)…go on missions (which I also love to do). Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” – this part we are very familiar with. Verse 20 however is what brings the transformation, “and teaching
them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." And
please do not forget about Matthew 25.
Matthew 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe
you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
We do it all, we preach the good news of Jesus, we disciple, we reach out to the poor and we LOVE!! It’s not one or the other, it is it all. Thank you Tata for advancing the Kingdom… Romans 2:4 “ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” And in this country people are yet to see the goodness of God.
It’s an ideal that I am also prepared to die for I said, cause our first reconciliation is towards God, therefore we
go…
And heaven is not just healings and gold dust and stuff…
Revelations 7:9 “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”
This is a picture of heaven…
Lets continue to walk in the legacy of Tata Madiba and lets build the Kingdom of God, spreading the Good News of Jesus so people can be reconciled to God, allowing people to experience the GOODNESS of God through your life and by standing up against the injustices of this world. Loving your neighbor as yourself despite race and culture, Loving, unconditionally like Jesus
does.
As learned from the world icon and father of this nation, to be willing to die for an ideal means to first be willing to live for it!!
THE KINGDOM IS INSIDE OF YOU- LIVE IT!! – Luke 17:21