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CORRUPTION…CORRUPTION…
For majority of those who follow events reported in the
media, one more corruption scandal in the Indian political Diaspora would not
exactly be NEWS, for scams have become the order of the day but any remedial
measure of the Government to weed out corruption would certainly be NEWS since
those in authority are generally perceived to have an apathetic “chalta hai”
attitude towards dealing with this social menace. Steps apparently being taken taken at least once
in a while like drafting of Lokpal bill -one would like to believe- are a case
of looking sincerely into the eye of the problem than eyewash. Truth be told, if it turns to be yet another typical
perfunctory attempt of the Government, one ought
not to be surprised.
Enter Anti-corruption crusaders…While genuine
anti-corruption activists like Anna Hazare are sidelined by media with an eye
for sensationalism, all eyes are invariably riveted on maverick Babas’ like a
Yogi Ramdev whose demands from the Government are akin to finding a pot of
elixir at the end of a rainbow. It is one thing to have an honest desire to
root out corruption but quite another to clean the Augean stables, as it were
in blatant violation of the laid down norms of
our Constitution and Indian Judiciary. To compound matters, knee-jerk reaction of
the Government-trying to arrest the Baba at midnight- in dealing with this challenge has
only clothed this saffron clad yoga teacher (whose movement by all accounts was peaceful till then)
with more than a veneer of public sympathy. Subsequently, the mystic guru turning belligerent
did his cause no good by announcing his plans to raise an army to fight authorities.
Then came the much publicized fast at Haridwar and then…
With all the media glare on the activities of the radical
Baba seemingly nursing political ambitions (not an hour seems to pass by in the electronic media
without a report on him), I could not help but think about a selfless,
Christian Sadhu –saffron clad, beard and all- namely Sundar Singh.
Born into a Sikh family in 1889 in
Village Rampur (Punjab state), his spiritual journey –from being violently
opposed to Christianity to becoming a willing martyr for the very faith, he tried
to wreck- was by all means remarkable. Undoubtedly, this self-effacing stalwart
of the Indian Church had left indelible marks of self-sacrificing servant hood
in the sands of time. For more on his
soul-stirring life, you may kindly click on the following
link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadhu_Sundar_Singh
His simple yet powerful preaching-based on everyday facts of life-
moved the masses, just like His Master’s preaching did in the first century AD.
Profundity was the touchstone in all of the Sadhu’s wise, insightful sayings
(for more on his catchy quotes , you may click on the following link…
http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/Sadhu-Sundar-Singh-Quotes/) four of which I have selected to
meditate upon more deeply under three sub-headings…
INDISPENSABILITY
From my many years experience I can unhesitatingly say that the cross bears those
who bear the cross.
What does the cross-bearing do to a Christian that Christ spoke about its
indispensability so very affirmatively (Luke 9:23)? To understand that we need
to figure out what exactly cross –bearing is.
Simply put, it is saying NO to our selfish desires which crave for release from
a God-dependant life and saying YES to everything which glorifies the Creator.
Our Maker in His sovereign wisdom has designed us in a way that to fulfill our
potential- both physically and spiritually- we would always
LOOK UNTO HIM.
Why create us with a stomach? Is it not to make us look unto Him for “our daily
bread” (Matt 6:11)! Why create “a heart” in the spiritual realm? Is it not to
fill it with His love? Human hearts –you admit it or not- are restless till
they find their rest in Him.
Cross-bearing virtually acts like an umbilical cord making us lean upon Him, for without His
power flowing us, we cannot by our own finite strength
turn our backs to all that is worldly and look yearningly at everything
Heavenly (Galatians 5:16-23).
Take out cross-bearing, a Christian is back to cross-roads as it were, conversely bringing it in would make a child of God cross out
all that which is hindering him from fulfilling his potential. Take the
matter of dealing with personal injustice (later on
you may also refer the following link on this subject…
http://www.jandsmministries.com/message_sep1_10.asp)
, Sadhu was
right on dot when he observed wisely the true Christian is like sandalwood, which
imparts its fragrance to the very axe which cuts it, without doing any harm in
return. At a time, the natural man in a Christian craves for vengeance
the spiritual man in him makes him rise above it, depending on God’s power of
love to melt whatever bitterness that may be swelling up in his heart,
surrendering completely in the process the issue of justice to the JUDGE OF THE
UNIVERSE. That’s cross-bearing for you, whereby you
personally experience His power flowing through you enabling you, so to say, realize
your full potential…THE ONE YOU WERE CREATED FOR… TO EXPERIENCE HIS POWER…
(Psalm 34:8)!!! HALLELUJAH!!!
HUMILITY
When Jesus entered Jerusalem the people spread their clothes in the way and strewed
branches before Him in order to do Him honour. Jesus rode upon an ass,
according to the word of the prophet. His feet did not touch the road which was
decorated in His honour. It was the ass which trod upon the garments and the
branches. But the ass would have been very foolish to have been uplifted on
that account; for the road really was not decked in its honour! It would be
just as foolish if those who bear Christ to men were to think anything of
themselves because of what men do to them for the sake of Jesus.
Doubtless, these words, need to be not so much inked as engraved in the hearts and minds
of every servant of God. It would serve every servant of the Master to remember
that he is being respected not because of his profession but because of his
association with the Master’s work. Look at Apostle Paul’s self-worded
“score-card” of His Ministry “For I am the least of
all the apostles… it was not I but God who was working through me by his
grace.”
(I Cor 15:9,10)
Take heed, Messenger of the God’s word! Next time, people pat you
on your back for your “marvelous sermon” praise God for placing the message in
your heart counting you worthy of taking it to the World…otherwise, you would
well end up making an ass of yourself! John the Baptist got his priorities
right “He must increase, I must decrease”
(John 3:30)
PURITY
Should I worship Him from fear of hell, may I be cast into it. Should I serve Him from
desire of gaining heaven, may He keep me out. But should I worship Him from
love alone, He reveals Himself to me, that my whole heart may be filled with
His love and presence.
That’s purity of objectives for you! Not for Sadhu the fear of
hell-fire or the lure of Heavenly glories for serving the Master but unalloyed
love which was a response to agape love poured upon him by the ONE who gave His
all on the cross (yes even the last drop of blood –
John 19:31-35 /
1 John 4:19-KJV). Is not Christian life all
about loving the GIVER OF GIFTS MORE THAN THE GIFT (Read salvation)?
Let love of Christ alone compel us
(2 Cor 5:14 NIV) to obey and go
an extra mile in serving Him
(Matt 5:41).
The Greek word sunecho that Apostle Paul used in the Scripture text –
2 Cor 5:14
-translated as compel in the NIV translation is a powerful and passionate word that could equally be translated as drives, masters, dominates, fires and galvanizes.
Ah corruption, that’s how we began this essay. Right? Consider this familiar
Scripture portion culled from the Scriptures portraying the transformation of a
corrupt, yes corrupt to the core, tax collector…
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there
named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had
become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over
the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road,
for Jesus was going to pass that way.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!”
he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest
in your home today.”
Zacchaeus quickly climbed down
and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He
has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood
before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if
I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as
much!”
Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home
today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.
For the Son of Man[a] came to seek and save those who are lost.”-
Luke 19:1-10
Social reformation has its merits but is anything greater than the spiritual
revolution that the peerless spiritual revolutionary wrought in Ist century AD and is
still bringing about globally (are not sinner turned saint true tales still
abounding and regaling many in the Christian realm and beyond-
Heb 13:8)? What
do we prefer? Or rather what should we prefer? Eliminating
the symptoms of a disease or the disease itself…cobwebs or the spider…corruption
or the sin in the heart which causes corruption? Come to Him, who can
replace a deceitful, desperately wicked, stony human heart corrupted with sin
(Jeremiah 17:9)
with a heart of flesh, pure and full of agape love
(Isaiah 1:18/
Ezekiel 36:25-27).
If you have already experienced what the spiritual
Cardiac surgeon-Dr. Jesus- can do, then how about introducing Him to everyone
(Romans 3:23)
who has not yet undergone that “surgical procedure”… Sadhu Sundar
Singh the “patient” treated and cured by “Dr. Jesus”, faithfully and peacefully
recommended his doctor to all, he came across, even putting his life at
stake for the same… are you doing the same? Bravo Sadhu, may your tribe increase!!!
(Suresh Manoharan)
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