An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told them that whoever got there first, won the sweet fruits. When he gave them the signal to run, they all took each other's hands, and ran together, then sat in a circle enjoying their treats. When he asked them why they choose to run as a group, when they could have had more fruit individually, one child spoke up and said: UBUNTU,
"how can one of us be happy, if all the other ones are sad?" UBUNTU in the Xhosa culture means
"I am, because we are." In Acts 2:46 Luke says this about the early Christians:
"So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart." Do we see any sign of competition among the early Christians? Do we see any sign of selfishness, or division in the early Church? So what is our excuse today? Why are we so focused on individuality instead of unity? Does the concern for the whole group pale, compared to the concern for the individual? Yes we all have our place in the body of Christ. But each member is there to contribute to the welfare of the whole body. May we always remember this. Because if we don't, the deterioration of our local Christian community will be a reality. GP
Photo by Stuart Miles. Published on 12 March 2013
Stock photo - Image ID: 100146286
www.freedigitalphotos.net
