“You are what you leave behind.”
What is written on T-shirts always catches my eye and this one in particular, as I was sure that the wearer had no idea what it meant. In fact, it set me thinking. Politicians like to refer to leaving a legacy once they are no longer in power. More often than not, it turns out not to be what they originally had in mind.
When we first started work at the new premises of the school three years ago, two women with their families lived behind the school. Our work affected them, because Dries had to make an alternative walkway for people to pass through, because the idea was always to put a fence around the school. People were used to simply take a short cut through the school grounds. Once Dries fixed the gutter system on the roof, he even extended the pipes and installed two tanks so that those households could have water during the rainy season. The one lady was extremely grateful and thanked us profusely. She also started selling snacks to our pupils at her little stand across from the school. Always ready for a chat and a big smile and Dries was definitely her favourite.
In contrast, the woman from the other household never had a positive thing to say about us, the school and everything Dries did for them. In fact, she often came to complain at the top of her voice about how uncomfortable we had made her life. Even Euphrasie commented that the woman really seemed to resent us.
Imagine our shock when both of them died recently within a few weeks of one another. Both became sick and without any warning, passed away. You can see where I am going with the story. We grew very fond of the one lady, but we always thought it better to avoid her neighbour. Someone once said that your actions outlive you. In other words, what you do whether good or bad, has lasting consequences. I suppose what I am trying to say is that reaching out to someone who is nice to us is very easy. That should not hinder us though, from trying harder to reach out to the ones who act resentful or even despise us.
We are working through the Second Epistle of Peter with the Saturday Rangers at the moment and this Scripture spoke to me yesterday:
II Peter 1: 5-11
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
God has given us everything that we need to be able to grow in our faith. That faith needs to lead to action. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. The Gospel message is for everyone. May we be compelled to persevere in sharing with the ones that persecute us. What we do or NOT do has eternal consequences.
E-posadres: lynettedj@gmail.com
Bank: ABSA, Lynette de Jager,
Rekeningnr: 1410142909,
Takkode: 632005
