MIND LIBERATION #29
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month
AFRICA, WRITE THE FUTURE! (Mind Liberation #29)
Africa, you may have failed in many areas. You may have fallen several times & may carry the old scars & the new bruises. But keep getting up. Don’t allow your destiny to be determined by either the roadblocks in your path or the deliberate efforts of others to keep you down. Setbacks in our history shouldn’t set us back. They are stepping-stones for us to move upward & forward. Africa, I say to you: Today is the last day of yesterday & the first day of tomorrow. It’s the conclusion to yesterday’s chapter & the introduction to your new book. Why dwell on a written past, when you can write the future today? —S.K. Pipim, The Transformed Mind, pp. 241.
MIND LIBERATION #28
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month
AFRICA, BREAK FREE! (Mind Liberation #28)
For many people, their past experiences of failure are like the strings around the elephant’s legs. They allow their mistakes, failures, sin, or tragedy that they once suffered (or are even now suffering) to hold them captive. …We must learn from our mistakes & failures. But we must not dwell upon them. We must not allow the past strings of failure to hold us down. Mind liberation means that we break free & keep moving on. … We must keep getting up. Keep trying. Never give up. Keep pressing on. Break the chains. This is what mind liberation is all about. Total freedom in Christ is what He’s called us to experience.—S.K. Pipim, The Transformed Mind, p. 239.
MIND LIBERATION #27
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month
AFRICAN CHAMPIONS (Mind Liberation #27)
Why do we hide behind a few successes and trumpet them as if much more can’t be done? Because mediocrity is now the standard, the excellence that should be normal has become the exception. So when a few excel, they quickly stand out. We become content with “mercy drops” of excellence, and forget that we’re called to receive “the showers of blessings”… We can ill afford to rest on the oars of past accomplishments. Our work is cut out for us—to not just be excellent but to be the champions of excellence…. We must not lose our will to excel and be marketable at the highest levels. We must be global players. —S.K. Pipim, The Transformed Mind, pp. 229-230.
MIND LIBERATION #26
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month
AFRICAN EAGLES (Mind Liberation #26)
Excellence is distinction. Mediocrity is extinction. Mediocrity is content with its condition and accomplishments. It settles for good when better is available. But excellence betters its best. Choose to be distinct, not extinct. That’s the choice Africa has to make. Africans must move from the chicken mindset to an eagle mindset, from mediocrity to excellence. In the famous words of Dr. J. E. K. Aggrey (1875–1927): “My people of Africa, we were created in the image of God. … We are eagles. Stretch forth your wings & fly! Don't be content with the food of chickens.” Soaring like eagles is what excellence calls for. —S.K. Pipim, The Transformed Mind, pp. 229.
MIND LIBERATION #25
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month
AFRICAN THINKERS (Mind Liberation #25)
We must resist compromising compliance, and embrace principled thinking. Too often we never question our parents, elders, bosses, professors, our church leaders, our government officials and political leaders. When we do, we’re considered disrespectful, and our African PHDs make sure we’re quickly hammered down. This fear of being so hammered has prevented us from dreaming the impossible, daring the unthinkable, and pursuing the unreachable. It is only as our minds are transformed that we can begin to think and act differently—counterculturally. This is what mind liberation is all about. —S.K. Pipim, The Transformed Mind, pp. 226-227.
MIND LIBERATION #24
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month
AFRICA’S PURE GOLD (Mind Liberation #24)
Gold is used as the standard for many currencies (the gold standard). Time is often measured with reference to gold (golden anniversaries). Gold is also employed as a symbol of enduring marriage (wedding rings). Even great human achievements are frequently rewarded with gold (gold medals). Which is why gold is also used to express the highest ethical principle to live by: The Golden Rule—“Do unto others what you want them to do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12; cf. Luke 6:31). Without the Golden Rule, our continent, and indeed the whole world will be impoverished. For, gold without a Golden Rule is poverty and misery.—S.K. Pipim, The Transformed Mind, pp. 221-222.
GROWING IN PATIENCE
We must possess both passive and active patience—i.e., longsuffering (bearing long with others) and endurance (calmly dealing with life’s adversities). You can tell God is growing you in patience when you run into many anguishing experiences; when the things or people you depend on suddenly fail you; when your life seems to be in detours; when prolonged illness and afflictions plague you; when your situation goes from bad to worse; and when you cry out to God for help and He doesn’t seem to care. Patience is like a beautiful diamond; it emerges after the rock of faith is subjected to trials’ intense heat and pressure (Romans 5:3, 4; James 1:2-4).—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim
MIND LIBERATION #23
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month
AFRICA’S CHANGE AGENT (Mind Liberation #23)
Mind liberation at the individual level is capable of bringing about transformative change even at the continental level. Many wait to see change effected in whole communities before they believe in it or become willing to imbibe it. Never underestimate the power of one. If individual minds become liberated, it will work its way upward and change the mindset at the corporate, community, and national levels. When the different constituents of Africa thus become transformed, the entire continental landscape will be changed and we will be on the sure path to the excellence we seek. Real change? The power of one. You. Me.—S.K. Pipim, The Transformed Mind, pp. 221-222.
MIND LIBERATION #22
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month
AFRICA’S UNINTENDED GIFT (Mind Liberation #22)
Desmond Tutu describes the evils of colonization, slavery, & genocide against Blacks: “When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, ‘Let us pray.’ We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible & they had the land.” But there is another side of the story. Though unintended, the Bible left behind was—and still is—of greater worth than land, cattle, gold, etc. We have what it takes to reclaim our land, health, education, dignity, & future. No appeal ought to subdue the call to read it or the plea to apply its time-tested precepts. Africa needs the Bible!—S.K. Pipim, The Transformed Mind, pp. 297-298.
MIND LIBERATION #21
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month
AFRICA’S LASTING CURE (Mind Liberation #21)
Africa needs to change. Africans also need to change. The current African mind or mindset will not cut it; we need a transformed one. Not refurbished, not recycled, but a completely new mind: the mind of Christ. That transformed mind is what will change us, and fit us to change our world. It will not come by wishful thinking. It will not devolve upon us by reason of our plight. We have to want it. We have to work towards it. We have to believe in it to preserve it. It is only as we are changed that we can change our continent and our world. It is possible; let’s do it! Mind liberation is Africa’s greatest need.—S.K. Pipim, The Transformed Mind, p. 168.
MIND LIBERATION #20
Dr. Pipim's Challenge for Black History Month