Late Nelson Mandela said, “As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”  Your light is a gift or talent given to you by God out of love and He expects you to use it tremendously for yourself and others. So, if you say you know Christ, have you demonstrated it in your life for others to see and change for good? The same God who helped the Saints to leave legacies for us will protect and lead you to conquer and celebrate victory in Jesus’ Name!

     We are like rubber band. We become more useful when we are stretched like the slave girl to Naaman’s wife, John the Baptist, Philip, St. Vianney and a host of others. The Saints are ordinary people like us but they allow the grace of God to stretch them to enable them do ordinary things in extraordinary way. You too can be a Saint!

     Naaman, a popular War Commander overwhelmed with leprosy decided to embark on the journey with gift items and a reasonable number of escorts to meet Elisha for healing.. On his arrival, he did not see Prophet Elisha in person but a messenger through whom he was instructed to have a bath seven times in River Jordan.  This annoyed him but the slave girl advised him further saying, “Father, if the Prophet had ordered you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? But how much easier when he said: ‘Wash and you will be cleansed.” How often do you go extra mile to influence people in need to do the needful so as to solve their problems like this slave girl did?

      When Naaman ate his pride and did as instructed by the Prophet, he got healed. “His skin became soft like that of a child and he was cleansed.” 2 king 5:14. God mandated the slave girl to lead Naaman to safety and it came to pass because Naaman recognized her as a human being and not a slave. Jesus did not work many miracles in his hometown because they did not recognize Him as the Son of God. “He who ignores correction despises himself, but he who heeds the reprimand acquires discernment.” Prov. 15:32.

      Are you as charitable as Philip? Do not economize the truth: share with others to make them beneficiaries. “The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and join it.” Acts 8:29. When he did, he found an Ethiopian Eunuch reading Prophet Isaiah without understanding the message. “Then, Philip began to tell him the Good News of Jesus, using the text of Scriptures as his starting point. Then the Ethiopian official said,

       St John B. M. Vianney, was a humble priest who zealously devoted his life to his parishioners and beyond. He hardly eats for he had to be at confessional for between 14 and 18hrs a day to hear confessions. He was known for his ability to read men’s hearts, supernatural knowledge of unconfessed sins and of things to come. For these and other reasons, people had to travel from America and Europe to Ars village in France with their problems. “Those who are guided by the Holy Spirit can see things. And that is why so many ignorant people are more knowing than the wise.” St John B. M. Vianney.

     When someone asked to know why Sir Pius Agorye was taking so much risk to meet the needs of those in danger, he said, “My reason for doing what I think is right as much as I can is like what Mother Teresa said, ‘We can do no greater but little things with great love.”  He went further saying, “I try to follow what I think is normal principle of life because God placed me there for a reason at that material time and if I leave it undone, and something worse happens my conscience will not free me because of the role I refused to play. Oftentimes we ask for forgiveness for what we have done and what we failed to do but if I do the needful at the right time I will have peace of mind. So, I don’t have to leave such accident victims especially when they are abandoned.”

     Conscience is like a mirror where God shows you what is good and bad, and if you decide to avoid what is good for the bad, your conscience will disturb you continuously. So, in your trials and tribulations let your faith in God, good work, honesty, truthfulness, boldness and hope in God be among the things that will sustain you. With these and many more, you can make your mark as the salt of the earth within your vicinity. And many people who have conscience will see you as a model.

    Sincerity is seen today as sinful in our society. Fraudulent politicians overwhelm with chieftaincy tittles, men of integrity abandoned for no just cause. Religious leaders lied to congregations, husbands lied to their wives, mothers lied to daughters, and sons kidnapped relations. Will this wound ever heal? What legacy are we leaving for our children?

     Today we are complaining of hash economy, insecurity, etc. and refuse to protest against those who made us to labour in our land as slaves. Our true fear is not in our inability but our potentials we have not engaged. Bob Marley is telling us to “Get up, stand up, Stand up for your right. Don’t give up the fight!”

 

       “The Lord turns his eyes to the just and his ears to their appeal. Many are the trials of the just man but from them all, the Lord will rescue him. He will keep guard over all his bones, not one of his bones shall be broken.” Ps 34:15, 19-20. Right from the time Joseph’s brothers sold him till he became Governor in a foreign land (Egypt) he had it rough but the more he was persecuted, the more his talent shines. And he was conscious of his talent and God did not abandon him all through. You don’t need to change your name to Joseph to use your talent well, just identify your gift, use it consciously for the glory of God and you will not regret it. Read from Geneses 37:12 to 50:26.

     “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and covers it: Instead they put it on a lampstand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine before others, so that they may see the good you do and praise your Father in heaven” Mt 5:14-16.