TUESDAY - 4TH JUNE, 2024
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Olusola ADEJUMO
RAISING FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND HUMAN RIGHT ACTIVISTS
I Samuel 17:34-35, KJV
"34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him."
We need the shepherd's heart for any who'll function in the two offices above. First, there can't be the ministry of a deliverer without the ministry of the oppressor. Wherever and whenever a deliverer rises, it means oppression and some destruction have been ongoing which necessitates a rising. Consider Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Junior and a host of Black Americans who rose to protest against racial discrimination. They did because the Whites were oppressing the Blacks. For the inequality seen, God raised freedom fighters to fight the cause of the timid, segregated and oppressed people.
Taking you into the Bible would suffice. A human right activist is a selfless individual who fights for the rights of others (especially) the weak to be respected. David exemplifies that in this popular story. David while opening his resume to King Saul says, "when a lion or a bear came after my sheep, I went after it and pluck it out of his mouth and smote him when he rises against me."
A sheep is considerably weaker to a lion or a bear. It is defenceless. It needs another to save it from predators and who it has rightly found is the shepherd. A shepherd loves the sheep and even lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus did that for us as our ideal Shepherd. The ministry of freedom fighters and human rights activists are the same with a shepherd's. It is one of self denial. They have a call to lay down their lives for the people they're fighting for if need be. No wonder, Martin Luther King Junior died in the process after being assassinated by the threatened White community. However, his "I have a dream that America would be a land of equality" came to be realized further after his death. So, if you have the call of a freedom fighter or human right activist, you're called to sacrifice and suffering. Martin Luther King was threatened many times. One time, his house was bombed amidst many anonymous letters of threats and deaths he received. When he would have given up, he heard a voice while shivering in the kitchen urging him on.
Jesus while speaking says, "a hireling owns not the sheep. Who seeing the wolf runs away and the wolf catches the sheep" (John 10:12-13). This attitude isn't of the ministry of freedom fighters and human rights activist. They stay and fight off invaders. That's how many countries get to be independent today and that includes America. They fought off the oppression of their colonizers either by peace talk at a round table or by struggle in blood as it was the case with a country like Anglola that earned its independence from the Portuguese through war.
God is calling men to the administering of these two offices. Unbelievers ought not to be the ones championing the cause of the oppressed though God could use any who has a heart for the work. If we Christians indeed practice righteousness and hate iniquity, we'll stand up and talk and fight bondages and oppression wherever it is found. Job does.
Job 29:12 - 17, KJV
"12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. 15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. 16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. 17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth."
Breaking the jaw of the wicked and plucking the prey out of his teeth is the ministry of freedom fighters and human rights activists in play. They can't just sit comfortably because they aren't the oppressed to watch others being evil treated, diminished and swallowed up They'll rather pick up their causes like Job did for the widows, fatherless, the blind and even the lame.
God is counting on us. Fela Anikulapo Kuti was an unbeliever yet he heralded and fought for righteousness and fair rule in the society than many believers have ever done or would ever do. He uses his music as a tool to criticize the government of the day. Indeed, he was effective because he suffered many things for same. Use the platform God has given you too. Be it at work, church, community gathering, school, groups and teams, ensure you stop the mouth of violence and fight for the rights of the weak. If you're even highly placed with a voice, this becomes easier. People should be running to you for salvation; not fleeing from you for fear. Let your righteousness shine forth and be known that way. Stop fearing those who kill the body but can't kill the soul! Go into the field.
PRAYER: Lord, raise Davids and Jobs for us who fear nothing of harm but are ready to jeopardize their lives for their countries and the oppressed.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11
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