A merry Christmas

During his ministry, he preached a simple message that turned the world of his time upside down for the better. In place of hate, he told his followers to live a life of love and godliness; in place of violence and strife, he taught humanity to value peace and good neighbourliness; whereas humanity is inclined […]

During his ministry, he preached a simple message that turned the world of his time upside down for the better. In place of hate, he told his followers to live a life of love and godliness; in place of violence and strife, he taught humanity to value peace and good neighbourliness; whereas humanity is inclined towards retaliation and vengeance, his instruction was that men and women should learn the virtue of forgiveness; while unfairness and injustice reign in society, he preached justice and fairness and in place of sexual immorality, he admonished man to live a chaste and righteous life. Although Jesus Christ preached these virtues over 2,000 years ago, the passage of time has not diminished the potency of the messages contained in the counsel he gave.
If anything, those messages have become even more relevant in today’s world, which is seriously haemorrhaging from ethnic, religious, regional and racial hatred, violence, horrendous injustice, immoral conduct, corruption, and a deep deficit of integrity in both private and public lives.
One of the most well known and lasting messages Jesus left for his followers and mankind in general is the doctrine of turning the other cheek for the sake of peace, a profound message that is particularly needed in times like these, of unspeakable violence and greed and avarice and covetousness, vices that are threatening the social fabrics that bind communities.
It is unfortunate that millions of those who will be engaged in merriment and gaiety today will be doing so forgetting the very essence of what the occasion signifies.  While it is customary to wish all Christians all over the world a merry Christmas, it is appropriate to remind everyone to spare a thought for the timeless message that Christ preached and left, and which should be a guide.  It is also important that there are many who will not be celebrating, because of one misfortune or another;  are sick and are in hospitals; they need prayers for their conditions to be better.
Some of those who should bear the message aloft fail in the task.  Clerics of many faiths that should be the legatees of Jesus and other messengers of God do not hesitate to desecrate their pulpits by inciting their followers against adherents of other faiths. That is a complete negation of what Christ stood for.
Another remarkable aspect of Jesus’ life and teaching that many fail to live by is his ardent commitment to his work.  Jesus did not call his followers to a life of idleness and faith without work. People must be committed to contributing to the productive life of the community they are in; that is what adds to edify the nation and make it great.
Nigerians and the rest of the human family should also learn and digest the significance of Jesus’ birth in a manger, a place meant for the keeping of sheep. For a man of that stature to be born in such humble circumstances, and grew up to have a profound impact on mankind, speaks of humility. Throughout his life on earth, Jesus exemplified that humility. In spite of his spiritual powers, he did not rebel against his earthly parents nor did he show disregard for the secular authorities of his time. In much of the world today, respect for parents and constituted authority is very much lacking. That is a trend that should be reversed, and a day such as this Christmas, should be a good starting point. A merry Christmas to everyone.