I just read this message from T.B. Joshua for the Christmas season and found it most apt for this time. I believe it deserves a wider audience…
CHOOSE THE PATH OF A CHAMPION
“We are all love’s products – the sons and daughters of love. Therefore, let us act love, do love. Follow in the light of love; let love lead.”
As we approach the New Year 2011, we should love our neighbours as ourselves. Your neighbour could be your enemy, your friend or those who do not share the same faith with you. Love them all. We should let love be uppermost in our hearts because all our doings without love are nothing.
A person who does not love will not forgive. A person who does not forgive cannot receive God’s mercy and favour. This is the reason why many are suffering around the world today.
To show that love is lost in our society today, there are many political parties the members of which belong to different religious faiths and denominations. Yet they eat together, plan together, work together and share positions among themselves. However, when they return to their various places of worship, they begin to criticise, condemn and discriminate against one another. Why? What kind of society is this? This is hypocrisy!
There are many organisations such as places of work owned by religious people with people of different faiths and beliefs working there together. There, they receive their incomes which they take to their various places of worship. Is it not then hypocrisy to see them condemning themselves?
We should be known for our love, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or geographical location:
Love that sees beyond hatred – that is, even when we are hated, we should love.
Love that sees beyond intimidation – that is, even when we are intimidated, we should love.
Love that sees beyond persecution – that is, even when we are persecuted, we should love.
Love is patient; it does not express itself in anger. Love is humble; it does not express itself in arrogance. Love is hope; it does not express itself in self-pity or despair. Love is goodness; it does not express itself in evil.
Yesterday, man was his brother’s keeper, but today, man is his brothers destroyer. For example, yesterday, your neighbour would wake up in the morning and be interested in your welfare, irrespective of religion or background, by saying, ‘Good morning. How are you?’ But today such things no longer exist; we have become strange bedfellows – two people living together, sleeping together but strangers to each other because of religious, economic, political or cultural reasons. This New Year is a year in which your old approach to life cannot be supported by the turn of events.
Therefore, instead of criticising our society and our fellow men, let us do what is good to change the bad we see. Let us walk in the light of love.
The cause of stealing, killing and destruction today is to keep treasures for ourselves, family and relations. But those relations, family and children we are keeping those things for – what becomes of them? What can anyone achieve with stolen things? Greatness and success? No. Peace and comfort? No. This is what becomes of our children today because they are nurtured with stolen wealth.
When we inherit stolen wealth in a will, we would live under a stolen future – thereby mortgaging our future. Remember, what comes from God goes to Him. What comes from truth goes to truth. What comes from stealing goes to stealing. What comes from destruction goes to destruction.
Our leaders, how are you elected? Was it a stolen mandate or the will of the people? Those who created yesterday’s pain cannot control tomorrow’s potential.
Nothing happens for nothing; nothing comes by chance. In the course of my living, I have seen those who succeed and those who choose to fail.
David said in Psalm 37:25 – ‘I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.’
Choose the path of a champion in the New Year.
My God is love – Jesus Christ (1 John 4:8)
Season’s Greetings From T.B. Joshua, The SCOAN and Emmanuel TV Family
