“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
This column is in its fourth year. Those who have followed this page over the period may have begun to discern our mission-to influence society, principally Nigeria towards a transformation of its values and way of life-economic, political and social. Even though the “centre of gravity” of the column is economy and business, such transformation must be total-which means not just the body and mind, but also the spirit. That is why we write on economy, politics, society, sports, entertainment and religion. That is why around Easter and Christmas, we often have one or two articles focused on faith and religion. This year, that article may have tarried, but was sure to come!
I was never in any doubt what I was going to write about. For several weeks, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in Mathew 7: 13-14 above (KJV) had continually rang in my mind, and I soon realised that perhaps I was required to share it with readers this season. Jesus in those verses paints two different scenarios-one, a broad way and wide gate leading to destruction; and the second, a narrow road and small gate that leads to life. The NIV translates those words as, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
There are several implications of these words. First when you see a large crowd of people and an undiscriminating assembly in which everyone is comfortable, it may be popular, fashionable, may appear credible, but as far as Jesus is concerned it is likely to lead to destruction. Clearly God’s standards are different from ours. Men seek safety in numbers; but with God “many are called, but few are chosen”. Like I once heard someone say, one test you can apply to discern God’s will concerning a matter is to check where the world is going and then turn in the opposite direction!
Another implication is that it is not difficult to locate the broad way. It is conspicuous and pervasive; you know several people on that way and the road is well advertised! Anyone you ask will tell you how to get there; and there are many signposts and entry points!!! You can enter the Third Mainland Bridge from Osborne Road in Ikoyi, Obalende, Simpson, CMS, Tafawa Balewa Square, Costain, Adekunle in Yaba, Oworonshoki, Anthony, Ogudu, Ojota and Toll Gate. You can’t miss it! Who in Lagos does not know Broad Street! But you have to FIND the narrow way! Naturally few are interested in such a narrow, inconspicuous way. It is not “the place to be” and is difficult to locate.
The narrow way may be located inside a private estate or could be a dusty, unmarked road in the wrong side of town. That is probably why it is despised and only a few find it. Jesus does not leave the conclusion of the two different journeys to us to imagine or deduce. He is categorical that the broad road and wide gate leads to destruction while the narrow road and small gate leads to life. And he makes it clear that there is a large multitude, the overwhelming majority proceeding happily on that road to hell, and only a few will find the narrow road that leads to life. A word should be enough for the wise!
One can argue that much of the Church today more closely resembles the wide way. The standards are not different from that of the world. The pursuits, interests and priorities as well as the “strategies” and “tactics” are the same and the objective is numbers, precisely as on the wide way rather than the undiluted gospel of Christ which as we know often antagonises. Indeed if you see a large meeting, going by the words of Jesus above, it is more likely a wide bridge that at best leads to no where or at worst an expressway to hell! Anywhere Christ, his disciples, Paul, Stephen or any of the examples of our faith preached, they made society especially the corrupt and wicked severely uncomfortable and that is why the Pharisees and the Council felt they had to kill them.
I believe it is not a coincidence that immediately after the words above, Jesus utters the following words, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits…” Is Jesus implying that in all probability there will be many false prophets on the wide road leading the people to their destruction? Are you sure you are not been led along the broad way? Let us carefully search for the narrow way, and by his grace, we will find it.
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Church and Society
Why is it that the Church in Nigeria does not appear to be engaged in any significant manner with some of the most important challenges confronting our nation? Most Nigerians will agree that Nigeria has been held down by deep-seated corruption, in government and the private sector; the will of the majority is being subverted by an unrepresentative democracy; society is held captive by an unenlightened and rapacious elite; and the vast majority of people are victims of social injustice particularly poverty, oppression, insecurity and abusive use of power.
Every other national problem in my view can be traced to these fundamental causes. Corruption is at the root of our infrastructure deficiency, particularly power and transportation-appropriations get into private accounts rather than deliver power stations, roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, and rural infrastructure. Corruption is at the root of the violent struggle for power and election rigging that destroys our democracy-if public office were about service and sacrifice, we would struggle to find enough people interested in them to fill all the offices we have created in our constitution. Corruption means that police men and military men are so poor and angry that they take out their frustrations on innocent citizens and civilians.
Private sector corruption prevents the corporate sector from fulfilling its developmental role in our economy. CEOs quickly turn public companies and depositors’ funds into private fiefdoms or individual bank accounts, ensuring that those enterprises are soon destroyed by mismanagement, fraud and corporate governance scandals, while employees, poor investors and depositors who had staked their life savings are impoverished. Corruption denies the poor justice in our police stations and magistrates courts, and turns the ‘big man’ into an oppressor over the less fortunate. It is due to corruption that the politician once elected or selected into public office becomes unaccountable to the electorate and even erstwhile “godfathers”, as he quickly amasses enough loot to silence the majority and terrorise the dissenting minority.
So why have these and other social issues not been at the top of the agenda of the contemporary Nigerian Church? Jesus Christ himself spoke out especially on behalf of the poor or weak, those who mourn, the meek, the sick, all those who labour and are heavy laden, widows, the lame, blind etc and he railed against oppression. He declared that he did not come to save the righteous, but the sinners and asked them to allow little children come unto him. It is clear from the ministry of Christ that he was keenly interested in social justice. This is also the case when we examine the impact of the Church on western society.
The Protestant Reformation and the revolutionary teachings of John Wyclif, Martin Luther and John Calvin presaged the economic and industrial progress that Europe would later experience. The personal and social transformation which the beliefs and personal examples of the Puritans and Quakers brought to bear on Western society cannot be de-linked from the Christian value system and pattern of behaviour that was later to accelerate their economic development. As a particular example, Gary Hamel, a Professor of Strategy (and one of my favourites) notes that it was the beliefs of Frederick Winslow Taylor, a Quaker that led him to seek ways of improving workplace practices and led to his path breaking work in developing the principles of scientific management.
Indeed history suggests a connection between the so-called Protestant work ethic (with its principles of honesty, fair-dealing, hard work, trust and integrity) and the industrial revolution in Europe. As many employers of labour in Nigeria (frustrated by the poor ethics and values of employees) would recognise, it would have been impossible to have an industrial revolution without values which encouraged honesty, productivity, diligence, a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay etc-the value system embedded in the Protestant work ethic. So why is the Christian faith not having a similar impact on Nigerian and indeed African society? Why do we have so many Christian Churches of the Orthodox, African, Evangelical, white-garment and Pentecostal varieties and yet there is so much corruption in the land? How come the Churches don’t even talk about these things? Are we like the pre-reformation Catholic Church in Europe, “selling indulgences” to the corrupt and so unable to criticise them?
Jesus himself said in Mathew 5: 13-16 that the Church is supposed to be the salt of the earth and light of the world, and warned against the salt losing its savour or the light being put under a bushel. He specifically entreated the Church to “Let your light so shine before men…” and warned against a Church that loses it impact and becomes good for nothing, “except to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men”. Can we say today that the Church in Nigeria in spite of the large number of people attending Churches is having the kind of impact a pinch of salt has on a whole pot of soup? Are we like the Quakers and Puritans redefining moral and ethical standards or is the Church in fact complicit in them? Christianity is an agent of personal and societal transformation. That was the message Christ preached, and that was the example of the early Church. The Nigerian Church must rediscover this essence.
Every other national problem in my view can be traced to these fundamental causes. Corruption is at the root of our infrastructure deficiency, particularly power and transportation-appropriations get into private accounts rather than deliver power stations, roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, and rural infrastructure. Corruption is at the root of the violent struggle for power and election rigging that destroys our democracy-if public office were about service and sacrifice, we would struggle to find enough people interested in them to fill all the offices we have created in our constitution. Corruption means that police men and military men are so poor and angry that they take out their frustrations on innocent citizens and civilians.
Private sector corruption prevents the corporate sector from fulfilling its developmental role in our economy. CEOs quickly turn public companies and depositors’ funds into private fiefdoms or individual bank accounts, ensuring that those enterprises are soon destroyed by mismanagement, fraud and corporate governance scandals, while employees, poor investors and depositors who had staked their life savings are impoverished. Corruption denies the poor justice in our police stations and magistrates courts, and turns the ‘big man’ into an oppressor over the less fortunate. It is due to corruption that the politician once elected or selected into public office becomes unaccountable to the electorate and even erstwhile “godfathers”, as he quickly amasses enough loot to silence the majority and terrorise the dissenting minority.
So why have these and other social issues not been at the top of the agenda of the contemporary Nigerian Church? Jesus Christ himself spoke out especially on behalf of the poor or weak, those who mourn, the meek, the sick, all those who labour and are heavy laden, widows, the lame, blind etc and he railed against oppression. He declared that he did not come to save the righteous, but the sinners and asked them to allow little children come unto him. It is clear from the ministry of Christ that he was keenly interested in social justice. This is also the case when we examine the impact of the Church on western society.
The Protestant Reformation and the revolutionary teachings of John Wyclif, Martin Luther and John Calvin presaged the economic and industrial progress that Europe would later experience. The personal and social transformation which the beliefs and personal examples of the Puritans and Quakers brought to bear on Western society cannot be de-linked from the Christian value system and pattern of behaviour that was later to accelerate their economic development. As a particular example, Gary Hamel, a Professor of Strategy (and one of my favourites) notes that it was the beliefs of Frederick Winslow Taylor, a Quaker that led him to seek ways of improving workplace practices and led to his path breaking work in developing the principles of scientific management.
Indeed history suggests a connection between the so-called Protestant work ethic (with its principles of honesty, fair-dealing, hard work, trust and integrity) and the industrial revolution in Europe. As many employers of labour in Nigeria (frustrated by the poor ethics and values of employees) would recognise, it would have been impossible to have an industrial revolution without values which encouraged honesty, productivity, diligence, a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay etc-the value system embedded in the Protestant work ethic. So why is the Christian faith not having a similar impact on Nigerian and indeed African society? Why do we have so many Christian Churches of the Orthodox, African, Evangelical, white-garment and Pentecostal varieties and yet there is so much corruption in the land? How come the Churches don’t even talk about these things? Are we like the pre-reformation Catholic Church in Europe, “selling indulgences” to the corrupt and so unable to criticise them?
Jesus himself said in Mathew 5: 13-16 that the Church is supposed to be the salt of the earth and light of the world, and warned against the salt losing its savour or the light being put under a bushel. He specifically entreated the Church to “Let your light so shine before men…” and warned against a Church that loses it impact and becomes good for nothing, “except to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men”. Can we say today that the Church in Nigeria in spite of the large number of people attending Churches is having the kind of impact a pinch of salt has on a whole pot of soup? Are we like the Quakers and Puritans redefining moral and ethical standards or is the Church in fact complicit in them? Christianity is an agent of personal and societal transformation. That was the message Christ preached, and that was the example of the early Church. The Nigerian Church must rediscover this essence.
The Mind of Christ
It is usual for this column at this time of the year to reflect on issues of faith and spirituality. Society these days is defined by entertainment and consumerism, so the essence of seasons like Easter, Christmas, Valentines Day etc are forgotten and instead the celebrations are recast purely in terms of fun, entertainment, marketing, and sales. Having being so re-defined, the nature of the activities that dominate such seasons often become the exact anti-thesis of their original essence. So this column from its inception has always dedicated its pages around Easter and Christmas as well as at other times to the essence of such seasons.
Jesus was defined by his humility and lowliness, traits which contemporary society regards as negative. The slogan today is “if you’ve got it, flaunt it”. Jesus Christ was born in a manger. His father was a carpenter. He identified with the poor and lowly and in spite of the power and authority which he possessed, he remained humble and meek. Leaders today, whether in temporal offices with secular powers or even more surprisingly leaders in explicitly spiritual contexts (with the exception of a few) are unable to imitate this characteristic of Christ. Leaders prefer the vanity, pride and arrogance of power. They are to be served rather than to serve others, and they are to be exalted.
One of the most important attributes of Jesus was his compassion and love. In fact it can be argued that this was Christ’s most important trait. It was the reason he healed them; it was because of his compassion that he restored their eyesight, lifted up the lame, raised the dead, and ultimately it was because of his love and compassion for man that he went to the cross and gave up his life in order that we may have a hope of salvation. Love and compassion are scarce commodities in society today, regrettably even in the Church. It is the absence of compassion for fellow citizens that makes a public officer to embezzle funds meant for provision of education and health facilities, and generally feeds the corruption that is destroying our society. It is the lack of love that make people kill their fellow men in a orgy of violence and destruction after elections are held. It is the absence of compassion for their fellow men that leads to wars, poverty, hatred and prejudice, terrorism and other evils that afflict the world today.
Yet in spite of his humility and compassion, Christ was not weak and sycophantic. He was bold and courageous, and had inner strength and conviction. He told the powerful religious people of his time-the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the Sanhedrin, the rich and powerful people, the truth. He chased the commercial people out of the temple and repeatedly condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. And he had the courage to endure beatings and scourging and eventually death at the cross, when he could have simply denied the accusations of the leaders of the Jews in search of self-preservation.
Jesus had a deep intellect and wisdom. When I reflect on some of the sayings and parables of Christ, I marvel at the depth of philosophy, knowledge and wisdom embedded in his mind. When Satan tempted him, he responded with knowledge and wisdom. The poetry and blessings in his beatitudes did not proceed from a shallow and ordinary mind. He thoroughly studied the writings of the prophets contained in the Old Testament such that at critical moments he quoted from the scriptures. At the age of twelve, he was found in the Temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening and asking questions, and amazing them with his understanding. And the Bible records that he increased in wisdom and stature and favour with God and men. Today knowledge is despised, and materialism is exalted. We celebrate the fact that people do not like to read or study, and so give them music and pictures. And when we seek wisdom today, we do not seek the type founded in the word of God and the mind and manner of Christ, but we exalt a type of worldly wisdom founded on manipulation, sycophancy and self-interest.
Christ was not interested in the kingdoms of the world, which Satan offered him. He preferred instead the eternal kingdom which was assured to him in heaven. He did not seek human power and material riches. The reverse is often the case today, as people say, “na heaven I go chop” and instead sell their souls to the devil. That is the only reason people embrace evil just to acquire wealth and power. That is why we have deadly armed robbers who kill for a few thousand Naira, and why political aspirants can hire killers to eliminate their opponents. He was always focused on the end which was his love for man, and his determination to do the will of his father.
Christ was sacrificial, always giving of himself. He gave of his time and virtue. He gave of his kingdom and ultimately he gave his life. He was not always taking of others as is common today. His attitude was not exploitative and covetous. He washed the feet of his disciples. He stayed awake praying even when they could not travail with him. He never feasted on the weaknesses of the people, but always sought to build them up. Even though they called him master, he never acted as one. He was a servant-leader.
Jesus was defined by his humility and lowliness, traits which contemporary society regards as negative. The slogan today is “if you’ve got it, flaunt it”. Jesus Christ was born in a manger. His father was a carpenter. He identified with the poor and lowly and in spite of the power and authority which he possessed, he remained humble and meek. Leaders today, whether in temporal offices with secular powers or even more surprisingly leaders in explicitly spiritual contexts (with the exception of a few) are unable to imitate this characteristic of Christ. Leaders prefer the vanity, pride and arrogance of power. They are to be served rather than to serve others, and they are to be exalted.
One of the most important attributes of Jesus was his compassion and love. In fact it can be argued that this was Christ’s most important trait. It was the reason he healed them; it was because of his compassion that he restored their eyesight, lifted up the lame, raised the dead, and ultimately it was because of his love and compassion for man that he went to the cross and gave up his life in order that we may have a hope of salvation. Love and compassion are scarce commodities in society today, regrettably even in the Church. It is the absence of compassion for fellow citizens that makes a public officer to embezzle funds meant for provision of education and health facilities, and generally feeds the corruption that is destroying our society. It is the lack of love that make people kill their fellow men in a orgy of violence and destruction after elections are held. It is the absence of compassion for their fellow men that leads to wars, poverty, hatred and prejudice, terrorism and other evils that afflict the world today.
Yet in spite of his humility and compassion, Christ was not weak and sycophantic. He was bold and courageous, and had inner strength and conviction. He told the powerful religious people of his time-the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the Sanhedrin, the rich and powerful people, the truth. He chased the commercial people out of the temple and repeatedly condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. And he had the courage to endure beatings and scourging and eventually death at the cross, when he could have simply denied the accusations of the leaders of the Jews in search of self-preservation.
Jesus had a deep intellect and wisdom. When I reflect on some of the sayings and parables of Christ, I marvel at the depth of philosophy, knowledge and wisdom embedded in his mind. When Satan tempted him, he responded with knowledge and wisdom. The poetry and blessings in his beatitudes did not proceed from a shallow and ordinary mind. He thoroughly studied the writings of the prophets contained in the Old Testament such that at critical moments he quoted from the scriptures. At the age of twelve, he was found in the Temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening and asking questions, and amazing them with his understanding. And the Bible records that he increased in wisdom and stature and favour with God and men. Today knowledge is despised, and materialism is exalted. We celebrate the fact that people do not like to read or study, and so give them music and pictures. And when we seek wisdom today, we do not seek the type founded in the word of God and the mind and manner of Christ, but we exalt a type of worldly wisdom founded on manipulation, sycophancy and self-interest.
Christ was not interested in the kingdoms of the world, which Satan offered him. He preferred instead the eternal kingdom which was assured to him in heaven. He did not seek human power and material riches. The reverse is often the case today, as people say, “na heaven I go chop” and instead sell their souls to the devil. That is the only reason people embrace evil just to acquire wealth and power. That is why we have deadly armed robbers who kill for a few thousand Naira, and why political aspirants can hire killers to eliminate their opponents. He was always focused on the end which was his love for man, and his determination to do the will of his father.
Christ was sacrificial, always giving of himself. He gave of his time and virtue. He gave of his kingdom and ultimately he gave his life. He was not always taking of others as is common today. His attitude was not exploitative and covetous. He washed the feet of his disciples. He stayed awake praying even when they could not travail with him. He never feasted on the weaknesses of the people, but always sought to build them up. Even though they called him master, he never acted as one. He was a servant-leader.
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