SOW IN TEARS

Are you discouraged because you work so hard and yet see few or no result? God’s Word assures: “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalm 126:5). Not every sowing guarantees a joyful harvest, but sowing “in tears.” And it’s not sowing once, but persistently: “He who CONTINUALLY goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (v. 6). Keep sowing—in sunshine and darkness, in sacrifice and pain, in sickness and grief, in patience and kindness. Sow amidst opposition and persecution. “Sow in tears”—in tears of sympathy with the hurting, tears of disappointment and regret, tears of sorrow for sin, and tears of brokenness under conviction from God’s Word. Don’t give up. Sow in tears and you’ll reap in joy.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim 

ILLITERATE GRADS

My advice to graduates: “When you graduate today, and stop learning tomorrow, you’d become an illiterate the next day. There are many graduates who, for all practical intents and purposes, are functional illiterates. Don’t increase the population of this uneducated class. Don't’ be an illiterate grad.” There’s never an end to learning, unlearning, and relearning. Constantly grow in knowledge—both in your field of study and in your spiritual pursuits. Even the all-knowing “Jesus GREW in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). He kept learning. Illiterate grads drink from the stagnant pond, but the truly educated draw from the running stream. Stay fresh. Keep growing and learning. Always!—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

SHEEP LEADERSHIP

A Ghanaian proverb says, “An army of sheep led by a lion can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.” Sadly, many organizations are led by sheep. Not humble and teachable, but timid, confused, and dumb. Sheep leadership panics in the face of danger. When it must boldly fight, its natural instinct is fright or flight. It must be told what to do and where to go. Gullible & prone to mob psychology, it finds safety in numbers—even if it follows others to slaughter or a cliff edge. No organization can rise higher than its leadership. Sheep leadership is cheap—and costly. If you’re dissatisfied with the leadership you see around you, step up to the plate and be the answer. For leadership is not about you, but begins with you. Be the lion! Christ is your Model Leader: “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed” (Revelation 5:5).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

THE TABLES CAN TURN

Those of us who are privileged, successful, in power, or who feel righteous must be careful how we use our advantage to treat others. An unknown sage cautions: “When a bird is alive, it eats ants. But when the bird is dead, ants eat the bird. One tree makes a million matchsticks. But only one matchstick is needed to burn a million trees. Circumstances can change at any time. So don’t devalue or hurt anyone in life.” Because tables can turn, the apostle Paul counsels: “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall…. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (1 Corinthians 10:12; Galatians 6:2, 3).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

UGLY SCARS

Deep wounds, whether self-inflicted or inflicted by others, often leave behind some ugly scars. These scars can cause embarrassment, shame, and pain. But they can also remind of worse situations that could have happened, but didn’t, at the time of wounding. Scars from our self-inflicted wounds caution against repeating the same mistakes. And they can help us appreciate the ugly scars of our risen Savior. By displaying His scarred hands, feet, and side, Christ identifies with all our disappointments, failures, fears, doubts, insecurities, and pains (John 20:19-29; cf. Zechariah 13:6; KJV). Those of us who carry ugly scars—on our bodies or on our souls—should look at the scars of Christ. For in the scars of Christ, we find hope and courage to move on, embracing our own ugly scars of pain, shame, and regret as scars of hope.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

WE SHALL ALSO LIVE

When He cried, “It is finished,” some thought HE was finished. “One of His friends betrayed Him. Others deserted Him. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies, and He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While dying, His executioners gambled for His clothing, the only property he had on earth. When dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. But three days later He rose from the dead” (James A. Francis). “The Lord is risen indeed”  (Luke 24:34; cf. Matthew 28:6, 7)! He Himself later declared: “I am He that died and am alive for evermore.” His enemies thought they could tarnish, banish, vanish or finish Him. But He rose! And He lives. And “because He lives, we shall also live” (cf. John 14:19).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

CLIMBING UP BY PULLING DOWN

THE EXCELLENCE OF GRACE

The thirst for vengeance should never be mistaken as a quest for justice. Nor should the verdict of justice ever transcend the excellence of mercy and grace. A father’s only son had been brutally murdered. Vengeance hunts down the murderer and kills him. Justice gets the murderer arrested, tried, convicted,  and executed. Mercy pleads with the Judge and the murderer’s life is spared.  But Grace petitions the Judge for murderer’s custody, adopts him as his own son, takes him home, loves him, and lives with him forever! Through Christ, “the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11; cf. Romans 5:10; John 1:16, 17). Vengeance is incited by the evidence; Justice weighs the evidence; Mercy overlooks the evidence; but Grace is the evidence.  In our hurts, let’s always be moved by the excellence of grace—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

LET'S THINK 

It’s easier to feel than to think. And many who think they’re thinking are either parroting the thoughts of others or merely re-arranging their prejudices. Thinking is hard as it forces us to analyze facts before we finalize acts. Also, conclusions based on thinking are not always pleasant. But we must think! Whenever we abdicate our ability to think, or replace it with some superficial, emotional experience, we are in danger of being deceived, deluded, or unwittingly inflicting harm on others. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Let’s learn to think! Which is why Jesus repeatedly asked, “What do you think?” (cf. Matthew 18:12; 21:28; 22:17.)—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim

Little ISN'T Little

The highlight of a grand wedding was to be the speech by the bride's best friend immediately after the vows. The bride’s friend had wanted the minister to “read first John 4:18” (“There’s no fear in love”). But nervous, she said, “read first, John 4:18.” The minister did, aloud: “You’ve had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband.” A little mistake! A little comma or change in intonation. It ruined a grand wedding. It’s “the little foxes that spoil the vines” (Song of Songs 2:15). Don’t neglect little things: A little kindness, a little apology, thank you, courtesy, cleanliness, faith, etc. Big doors are opened by little hinges. Little isn't little.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim