Just dare to do it……….part 1

 

Certain times in life, we reach life’s crossroads where we think to ourselves, which way do I go? Does it sound familiar or is it only I? These are moments when no advice or help from anyone will do. I guess you have been at such points; I have certainly been there many times. These are the decision moments, when we weigh up options that may either sink or save us. Such is this story from 2^nd Kings 7:3 to 16 (NKJV)

There was great famine in the land of Samaria, such that people resorted to cannibalism to survive. In the scheme of the prophetic utterances of a greatly anointed prophet, Elisha, some remarkable events occurred. Now there were four lepers sitting outside the city gates who made a choice to dare do something about the problem shared by all.  Of all the abled bodied men in the city of Samaria, it took these leprosy stricken men to talk about their ideas and did not only stop at talking but actually did something.

Leprosy depicts a life of disabilities, desolation and isolation. Having leprosy is associated with huge stigma and sufferers are ostracized from the society. I bet they had a fair share of being and feeling socially rejected; such feeling that is capable of creating marked poor self esteem and being constantly undermined by others. The condition is so highly stigmatized that the lepers can only find companionship amongst fellow lepers. (Does that sound familiar?) They were four of them who sat to ponder on the prevailing famine situation in their city. “Why sit here until we die?” they asked each other. “We will starve if we stay here and we will starve if we go back into the city; so we might as well go out and surrender to the Syrian army. If they let us live, so much the better; but if they kill us, we would have died anyway.” (2 Kings 7:3-4) TLB)

Four desperate, desolate and diseased men realized they had nothing to lose. (Have you heard that desperate situations call for desperate measures? Just how desperate have you been lately?)

These men even though they were hated by their own people and hunted by the enemy by the sounds of it, they had a hunch that sparked a glimmer of hope in their souls. “It’s possible the Syrians won’t kill us,” they reasoned. There is an outside chance they may feed us.” (Hey my dear friends, what a lesson to learn from these dare do something leprous men!)

When you think that you’re facing an impossible situation, open your eyes and see the glimmer of hope God is giving to lead you to salvation. These men could have wallowed in self pity, while moaning all day long as well as choose to be indifferent about their situation; No but they chose to do something not allowing fear to cripple them any further.

I recently heard a female preacher, Mrs Ashimolowo, on National Television say this phrase: “great minds have and talk ideas, mediocre minds talk about events while small minds talk about people” How true indeed! These lepers had great minds irrespective of their physical and emotional disabilities. In this life, when situations that seem insurmountable threaten to drown you, make a choice to take the bulls by the horn. Brainstorm for ideas and build on those ideas to bring dreams to reality.

Do not settle for discouragement neither settle for any less than your creator has prepared for you. Arise from the pit of discouragement and spread your wings to fly to your destiny. However, I must state that you must be willing and obedient in order to eat the good of the land. These were the main characteristic qualities that made mere lepers become dare to do it celebrities!

This particular story was a success one. This is not always the case in reality. Do not allow that in it self discourage you in anyway though.

What do you have to lose if you follow that ray of hope anyway? It will lead you out of the spiritual, emotional and financial swamp you’re stuck in? Just dare to look within and do something.

These lepers hit the jackpot! They got into the next town to see great abundance and had a moral dilemma to face like you and I today would probably have had to face too. The lesson from this latter part will be considered in the part 2 of this discussion.