Close to the Cross 1
Bible passage: Galatians 2:19-20
“19. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. "
As faith matures, many changes occur.
And one of the most outstanding of these changes is that when one encounters a problem, we see that the person who was always looking for the focus of the problem on the outside is now focusing on the inside, that is, by looking at himself. There is an article written by an unknown person like this; “When I was young, I tried to change the world, but it wasn’t easy, so I tried to change the country I lived in.
But that wasn’t easy either, so I tried to change the village I lived in, but I couldn’t.” “When I reached middle age, I tried to change my family for the last time, but I couldn’t, and it wasn’t until later that I realized that the only thing I could change was myself.”
And he explained it like this: “If I had started to change myself from the beginning, it would have affected my family. Changes in the family would have caused changes in the village, and changes in the village would have had the effect of changing the country and the world.” It is deeply moving because it is written by a person who has lived for a long time, looking back on the past years and realizing that the starting point of all change must be ‘oneself.’ Mahatma Gandhi similarly said, “If you want to change the world, first change yourself.”
First, what should I do to change myself and change my family, society, country, and world? We can find the answer in today’s scripture. The text introduces the grace and power of the cross that transforms oneself, one's family, and the world through a mature faith that focuses all problems on oneself.
Karibu na Msalaba 1
Andiko la Biblia: Wagalatia 2:19–20
“19. Kwa maana kwa njia ya sheria naliifia sheria ili nipate kuishi kwa Mungu. 20. Nimesulubiwa pamoja na Kristo; lakini ni hai, wala si mimi tena, bali Kristo yu hai ndani yangu; na uhai nilio nao sasa katika mwili, ninao katika imani ya Mwana wa Mungu, ambaye alinipenda akajitoa nafsi yake kwa ajili yangu.”
Imani inapokomaa, mabadiliko mengi hutokea.
Mojawapo ya mabadiliko makubwa zaidi ni kwamba mtu anapokabiliwa na tatizo, badala ya kutafuta chanzo chake nje, huanza kujiangalia mwenyewe na kutafakari ndani ya moyo wake. Kuna makala iliyoandikwa na mtu asiyejulikana inayosema: “Nilipokuwa kijana nilijaribu kuubadilisha ulimwengu, lakini haikuwa rahisi. Kwa hiyo nikajaribu kuibadilisha nchi niliyoishi.
Hilo pia halikuwa rahisi, kwa hiyo nikajaribu kubadilisha kijiji nilichoishi, lakini sikuweza.” “Nilipofikia umri wa makamo, nilijaribu kuibadilisha familia yangu kwa mara ya mwisho, lakini sikuweza. Baadaye ndipo nilipotambua kwamba mtu pekee niliyeweza kumbadilisha alikuwa mimi mwenyewe.”
Aliendelea kueleza hivi: “Kama ningejianza kujibadilisha tangu mwanzo, hilo lingeathiri familia yangu. Mabadiliko katika familia yangeleta mabadiliko kijijini, na mabadiliko kijijini yangeweza kubadilisha nchi na ulimwengu.” Maneno haya yanagusa moyo sana kwa sababu yameandikwa na mtu aliyeishi kwa muda mrefu, akitazama nyuma na kutambua kwamba mwanzo wa mabadiliko yote ni “mtu mwenyewe.” Mahatma Gandhi alisema vivyo hivyo: “Ukitaka kuubadilisha ulimwengu, anza kwa kujibadilisha mwenyewe.”
Kwanza, nifanye nini ili nijibadilishe na kubadilisha familia yangu, jamii, nchi na ulimwengu? Jibu tunalipata katika andiko la leo. Linatufundisha kuhusu neema na nguvu za msalaba zinazombadilisha mtu, familia yake na ulimwengu kupitia imani iliyokomaa inayotufanya tuanze kutafuta ndani yetu suluhisho la matatizo.
