I just watched 'Ghandi' today afternoon, a touching film made in 1982 about Mahatma Ghandi's true account of bringing independence to India by choosing to resist Britain with peaceful methods. I must praise this film as it really shed light on the personality and character of Ghandi.
Ghandi is simply my hero now. He was an Indian barriester who grew up in London and first began campaigning against racism against Muslims, Indians and Sikhs in South Africa. He was determined to make his point without using violence even when he was assaulted, arrested and accused.
He was a revolutionary who read and applied the basics of the Quran, Bible and other religious articles. I do not think he was a Christian though he did seem pretty convinced by what the Bible says.
More than that, he applied the Bible better than many of us Christians. He applied what Jesus said about 'giving the other cheek' to the ones who hit you. To me, that represents a very high standard of spiritual maturity. On the opposite were British 'Christians' who thought treating non-caucasians unfairly just because their skin were not fair was justified in its cause.
Sometimes, I am really ashamed not of Christ, but of Christians who cannot really be counted as such. Looking back at history, the Roman Catholic (Universal) Church has committed cruel and shameful atrocities in the name of Christ. The crusades, the conquests and the priests' corruption will never be wiped away from Christ's name because of 'Christians' like these. And those British 'Christians' were none the better, conforming to white men's pride and insecurity.
Ghandi was not a Christian but I dare say that if he was, he would have been a better one than me and many other Christians. He was like Jesus, the Rebel with a cause. He believed in pursuing his cause for independence firmly, not violently. Many people, even church leaders, do not have the patience and conviction to be firm yet gentle. Meek as a dove and sly as a serpent, he took on the entire British Empire and made them fools.
Sometimes I wonder why non-christians are able to put us to shame by their display of love even though we have a relationship with Jesus who loved us first with the greatest love in the world. Why is the love still kept within church walls, if it was there in the first place at all?
Youth Impact has grown in numbers because of God's hand upon us but somehow I feel personally that we are not loving one another, myself included. We seemed to have lost our first love of God and second love of men. We seem to have forgotten that love is the greatest gift and commandment.
Look at Mother Teresa. She was a Roman Catholic but she applied God's Word in treating every person like Jesus and caring for them. She bathed those who no one else would, knowing that she pleases Jesus by doing what she did.
When I look deep down into my soul, I am so sick of and disgusted with my selfishness. I really want to love people (non-christians) with the love that Christ, Ghandi and Mother Teresa had, the love that sees all men as one and the same instead of treating them differently because of the disparity in religion, race and even gender.
I had enough of self-serving love. I had enough of the love even taxcollectors can give. If I only love those who love me, when will I ever learn what true love is?
These few days, I have been really troubled when I realized some people have backslided and 'some' is already an understatement. Love, not hype, is going to keep our fire burning for Jesus and other people. I feel really sad for all those people that have left, people I once had close relationships with.
So many things have happened in these two and a half years of my Christian faith. I am glad that there are those who stayed on and grew beyond their trials but I am immensely sad for those who left before God proved Himself faithful. I am at a loss for words.
Newest jokes:
1. What do pigs use to clean their teeth?
Ans: Pork floss
2. How does a guitar laugh?
Ans: Yamaha-hahaha
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