Recently, a great author passed from this life. Perhaps you have never heard of Chinua Achebe, but he is considered a patriarch of modern African literature. His ground-breaking book, «Things Fall Apart», published in 1958, created a worldwide sensation that elevated Mr. Achebe to superstar status. He received many awards over the course of his life that acknowledged him as a literary giant! His life and death marked him as one of Nigeria's great contributions to the world!
Life was good to Chinua in many ways. Yet in 1990, while traveling to Lagos, he was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He would spend the remaining years of his life confined to a wheel chair.
Life was good to Chinua in many ways. Yet in 1990, while traveling to Lagos, he was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He would spend the remaining years of his life confined to a wheel chair.
While recapping Chinua's life, in a BBC presentation the day after his death on May 21, 2013, an interview was broadcast that had been recorded a few years earlier with a BBC reporter. The subject of the accident came up and the interviewer asked the pointed question,
"Do you ever ask, WHY ME?"
Chinua Achebe's response was one I will never forget,
"Why NOT ME! Is there someone else that I would wish this wheelchair upon?"
Not only did his response reflect an unselfish and humble attitude, it equally provoked me to thought.
While there are many ways in which we can interpret the teachings of Jesus Christ concerning "turning the other cheek" and "walking the second mile", we should consider a simple truth. Perhaps we turn the other cheek to save someone else from receiving that second blow. Perhaps we walk the second mile to keep a weaker brother or sister from having to bear that duty and burden.
Far too often we do ask he question, "Why Me Lord?". Perhaps He chose you because He equipped you with a measure of grace sufficient for the task, all the while sparing a weaker brother or sister. The essence of Christ's love was of sacrificing self, in order to keep others from suffering the same fate!! He died so that we might live.
The next time you are tempted with the question, "Why Me Lord"?, perhaps you could rephrase your prayer by saying "Thank-you Lord"! "You gave me the grace to go through this trial, rather than allowing to go into the life of a brother or sister who did not have the grace that I have been granted!"
"Do you ever ask, WHY ME?"
Chinua Achebe's response was one I will never forget,
"Why NOT ME! Is there someone else that I would wish this wheelchair upon?"
Not only did his response reflect an unselfish and humble attitude, it equally provoked me to thought.
While there are many ways in which we can interpret the teachings of Jesus Christ concerning "turning the other cheek" and "walking the second mile", we should consider a simple truth. Perhaps we turn the other cheek to save someone else from receiving that second blow. Perhaps we walk the second mile to keep a weaker brother or sister from having to bear that duty and burden.
Far too often we do ask he question, "Why Me Lord?". Perhaps He chose you because He equipped you with a measure of grace sufficient for the task, all the while sparing a weaker brother or sister. The essence of Christ's love was of sacrificing self, in order to keep others from suffering the same fate!! He died so that we might live.
The next time you are tempted with the question, "Why Me Lord"?, perhaps you could rephrase your prayer by saying "Thank-you Lord"! "You gave me the grace to go through this trial, rather than allowing to go into the life of a brother or sister who did not have the grace that I have been granted!"