Mandela Day

DAILY BYTE

Yesterday, the 18th July 2010, was the first International Mandela Day. It’s an initiative that seeks to use the occasion of Madiba’s birthday to challenge ordinary people to do something concrete to help make this world a better place. People are encouraged to donate 67 minutes of their time, representative of the 67 years that Madiba spent in politics, to make a positive contribution to the lives of others.

Personally, I think that it’s a wonderful initiative. There is certainly no better way to honour this truly great man than to allow the example of his life to inspire us to more generous, selfless and creative living of our own. That’s possibly his greatest legacy, and the greatest legacy that anyone can leave behind – to inspire others to live better lives.

As I consider the challenge of Madiba’s example, and my personal response to this Mandela Day initiative, I find myself wondering what kind of legacy I’m leaving behind. Am I living in ways that would be a positive and inspiring example to others?

The message of the gospel is that our lives are not just about us. We’re called to live in ways that allow our individual stories to be woven into the rich tapestry of God’s great story of love and redemption for the entire world. Let’s take this challenge to heart, and make a fresh start if necessary, to ensure that we are part of the solution and not just adding to the problems of this world.

There’s an old song that explores this theme in a beautiful way:

We're pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

O may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey

O may all who come behind us find us faithful
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift though all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

O may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
O may all who come behind us find us faithful

SCRIPTURE READING

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.