As I scribble this, I am listening to UB40’s Many Rivers To Cross. Actually, I ‘stumbled’ on it in April when I suddenly felt a very strong urge to listen to it, and the truth is many rivers have been flowing, and crossing them remains the only option. Yet rivers are better crossed with people and not alone.

Something happened two weeks back and I am still somewhat seething – yet I am constantly reminded that my anger – if I may call it that – just makes me appear to be ‘over spiritualizing’ things which is what is making me upset in the first instance.

Perhaps what happened could have been avoided. Perhaps it was meant to be. Perhaps there was a lesson to learn in all of this. But this lecture mode… it is well!

So, today I will be sharing a few things I have learned – and am still learning. I hope somehow it touches someone and makes us all begin to see things differently.

No one is indispensable. However, if for some reason someone reaches out to you, it means someway, somehow you fit into the scheme of things. Praying about it is good. But acting on it in faith and prayerfully is much better.

When you fail to do the simple things now, you will be left to do the difficult things for a long time. Think about this deeply. Look back at different situations in your life, and you will realize it is true. Funny how something so commonsensical has eluded us for so long.

Being moved by compassion beats spirituality come rain or shine. This is so key. Same issue with the Pharisees back in day. Don’t heal a guy on the Sabbath. He chose to break the law for the sake of compassion. Are we now becoming like the Pharisees? Has our spirituality so beclouded our vision that we do not sense a cry for help or the need to ‘stand in the gap’?

Playing to the gallery is fantastic. But what happens when the curtains go down? Time and time again we put up a façade. A façade of holiness. A façade of perfection. A façade that everything is perfect, and nothing is amiss. Common! Christ wept in the garden of Gethsemane. He was angered when the house of God was used for trading, etc., and he reacted. When John the Baptist was beheaded, he reacted – he wasn’t ashamed. We should learn a thing or two from these. It’s ok if you are not yet finished goods. It is ok if you fall as long as you do not stay down. And it is so ok to admit that you haven’t gotten everything figured out. If we were all saints and without issues, Christ would have been sipping Heavenly coffee or playing godly chess with the Father or anything else rather than going through the grueling journey to the cross. Just think about it.

Indeed, there are many rivers to cross, but we will find our way home when we stick together, walk together and put aside all those ‘burdens’ that easily beset us and run this race to win. Then also remember, your help… my help… our help… cometh from the Lord!

May we all make it to the finish line.