Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Don’t Tell Me But Show Me!


Don’t Tell Me But Show Me!



Why do you tell me you love me?

Why do you tell me you love your neighbor?

Why do you tell me you love your country?

Why do you tell me you love your faith?

Why do you tell me you love God?

Why do you tell me you love nature?



Why do you tell me you love the birds of the air?

Why do you tell me you love the fish in the sea?

Why do you tell me you love the Garden of Eden?

Why do you tell me you love your brother?

Why do you tell me you love your sister?

Why do you tell me you love your friends?



Why do you tell me you love your father?

Why do you tell me you love your mother?

Why do you tell me you love creation?

Why do you tell me you love the moon?

Why do you tell me you love the sky?

Why do you tell me your love the sun?



Why do you tell me you love life?

Why do you tell me you love honesty?

Why do you tell me you love hope?

Why do you tell me you love self-control?

Why do you tell me you love justice?

Why do you tell me you love sharing your gifts?



Why do you tell me you love children?

Why do you tell me you love Whites and Blacks?

Why do you tell me you love wisdom?

Why do you tell me you love understanding?

Why do you tell me you love knowledge?

Why do you tell me you love peace?



Why? Why?? Why???



Don’t tell me all these, but show me!

Show me you love all me!

Show me you love humanity!

Show me you love God above all!

Show me you love your families

Show me you love peoples

Show me you love wisdom, knowledge and understanding

Show me you love Whites as well as Blacks

Show me you love honesty, life and peace.

Show me through your actions and I will not need you to say it.



Reflection(s): Justice and Hope



We live in very difficult times, especially in light of recent events that have their genesis in hatred, discriminations and injustices. Additionally, ignorance, bigotry and perpetual glorification of dogmatism and inimical stereotypes have contributed in no small measures to the unjust killings all over the world, from Iraq to Afghanistan, from Syria to Egypt, from Libya to Algeria, from Nigeria to Sudan, from China to Japan, from Saudi Arabia to Yemen, from France to Germany and from the USA to Canada, just to name but a few.



In all these instances, we share a common denominator, namely the quest for justice that unfortunately is misrepresented in a jungle justice fashion.

The reality is that two wrongs do not make a right and the dogmatism of “an eye for eye” only leave us totally blind.



True justice can never be achieved through injustices and actions that dehumanize humanity and end up leaving us to question the rationale for such tactics.



It is about time we come together and begin to tackle the root cause of these nefarious, despicable and undesirable mentalities being propagated by organizations and individuals, which have led to near annihilation of civilization before our own eyes.



I therefore call upon humanity, to step back, reflect and come to a round table where we can reason again, discuss and enlighten ourselves on the necessity to put an end to hatred, discriminations and injustices. This can only be achieve in a humane environment in which we all put away our hearts made of ‘stones’ and replace them all with that of pragmatic compassion, understanding and wisdom.



We must stop stereotyping people; as a matter of facts, not all peoples are the same and a single bad or good action cannot define an entire class of race, religion and ideology.



We must fashion a way to discuss, hold a conversation, as opposed to just ‘talking’ without listening to the other party.



We must consciously make effort to pursue peace by becoming an instrument of peace through the way we love, show compassion and stand with justice irrespective of how challenging or uncomfortable we may feel.



In the United States of America, we must be more than willing to call a spade a spade; meaning when we are wrong, it is on us to accept responsibility and try to right the wrong.

Regarding the issue of police ‘brutality’ or mishandling of power or resources leading to the death of several unarmed Blacks, the system must be able to call out bad cops and allow due process with the mindset that justice must prevail! The opposite will be to pretend as if nothing wrong has happened, which unfortunately will continue to make the police who are to provide security of lives and properties to look bad, and misrepresented as licensed to killed without recourse to the law.

On the other hand, when citizens take up arms against the police and attacked our officers, this is a very disturbing, despicable and evil trend that has no place in civilization! An attack on any police officer is pragmatically an attack on all of us, because they are here to protect and not harm us!



Moving forward, there must be several interventions and at different levels between the people and the police and especially among the minority communities in the country. Such interventions must have as its fundamentalism the necessity to propagate justice, honesty and truth. The confidence level among all parties involved will become acceptable when we all share in the belief that if there is an obvious infringement justice will prevail.



The judicial system must prove beyond reasonable doubt that 'it is not more difficult to convict the guilty than free the innocent!' Additionally, nobody is above the law nor should be treated as a ‘sacred cow’ whether it is the police or an affluent kid.



I have hope, irrespective of the nonchalance, detrimental and very gloomy events that have engulfed the country especially since the death of Mr. Sterling in Louisiana.

This is the time we ought to come together as a people, no longer as peoples, lay our heart bare to one another, seek forgiveness for wrongs done and promise to love one another and allow justice, goodness and compassion to define our future actions.



My hope is unshaken, not because I have answers to all these challenges, but simply because I have my hope in the almighty God who is the origin of love! If we accept the fact that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, it will become very easy for us to see God in our neighbor and that will lead us to begin to treat our neighbors as ourselves.



Don’t tell me, but show me that we really love one another!



Prayer:



O Lord, God show us your mercy and love today!

Do not cast away from us your divine inheritance.

Shepherd your people with your staff of righteousness, love and compassion.

Grant us the courage to allow justice to flow like the river in our lives.

Fill our hearts with your beauty and love for your creation and help us to see you in one another from today onward.

I present these petition, in Jesus Christ mighty name. Amen!



Podeh2016

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