The holiday season is upon us and the festivities have commenced across the archipelago called The Bahamas. It is indeed fitting that the cheer and celebration of Christmas ushers us from quite an eventful year into an anticipated 2014 which promises optimism for new opportunities in the midst of uncertainties resulting from challenging economic and social times.
As we reflect upon the events of 2013, we the people of The Bahamas have a lot to be thankful for in spite of the myriad challenges that we have faced and the many adversities that have come our way. The holiday season provides us with a chance to reminisce on what has been, what was and what could have been with a resulting commitment to press the reset button and embark on a new year with renewed zeal, focus and determination to make the best of 2014 in our personal lives and for our beloved country. Wrapped up in the Christmas story are numerous messages that will be preached across the world this week; however, we consider one message on the eve of Christmas.
Extraordinarily simple
The traditional year end holiday season in The Bahamas commences with the celebration of Christmas on December 25 each year. At Christmas, those among us who subscribe to the Christian faith celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We mark the humble entrance of a king without the customary pageantry and fanfare associated with royalty. Jesus was born in a manger as no space was found for him in the inn. The place of his birth is notable as it signifies humility and connection to the common man despite his status - a servant of the people and champion of the masses.
Our celebration of Christmas will be incomplete if we focus on the gifts and festivities but miss out on the reason for the season. The greatest gift to mankind was in the form of God made flesh for the ultimate atonement for our sins. The lesson from his birth is even more weighty for leaders and aspiring leaders as Jesus emerged from anonymity to prominence not because of his background (after all he was the earthly son of a carpenter) but due to his deeds. This narrative offers hope to us all regardless of our background that where we come from does not define or decide who we are and what we are destined to be.
Magnitude of love
As an advocate for love, one of the numerous famous words of Jesus was spoken on this vital subject that seems to be eluding us in The Bahamas of late. He articulated that there is no greater love than for a man to lay down his life for his friends; a quote he demonstrated by going to Calvary. It is no coincidence that the most vital of the Ten Commandments are centered on love for God and love for one another. More profound is the fact that he was born to die and lived his life with full knowledge of this destiny.
As a people, we must return to the old landmark and the fundamental principles instilled in us by our ancestors and upon which our nation was founded. In our professional, religious, social, political and personal lives, it behooves us to show love towards one another regardless of our differences. Our differences should result in mutual respect for one another rather than create enmity and divide us. We must always be mindful to promote peace over strife by putting away bitterness and malicious intent while forgiving wrongs and errors of the past. It is imperative to state that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Therefore, we must always strive for harmony in all that we do in every aspect of our lives. In this sense, the saying is true that united we stand, divided we fall.
Moreover, let us remember that we are all God's children and we celebrate Christmas basically in recognition of the greatest love of all; for it is written "... for God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only son ..." I submit that the answer to crime and the social ills we face is a display and application of love - just as the root cause is the lack thereof. The greatest definition of love is found in the Bible which states that, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
A simple application of this scripture can go a long way in our society.
Unusually normal people
The Bible recounts the events leading up to the birth of Jesus. It is noteworthy to state that unusual circumstances and unorthodox simplicity abound in the chronicles of the advent of the Messiah. In the first instance, the vessel that was used to bring him into the world was a virgin from obscurity so much so that her genealogy or family history is not highlighted. Mary's only claim to fame may have only been her connection to Elizabeth - a descendant of Aaron and the wife of Zechariah who was of the priestly division of Abijah.
Further, the first recipients of the good news of Jesus' birth were shepherds living out in the fields and watching over their flocks at night. While the news was delivered by angels to shepherds in the field, the voyage of the wise men from the East in search of the king of the Jews was informed by the sighting of Jesus' star. King Herod on his part only became aware of the birth of royalty as a result of the wise men's search.
We ought to know from this account of events that God's selection and favoring of individuals is not contingent upon their social status or any political correctness. This is testament to the huge disparity between God's ways and the ways of men, that he will favor whomsoever he chooses. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that wisdom remains the portion of those who continue to seek him, just as the wise men did.
The spirit of Christmas
In the final analysis, it is imperative that we display the spirit of Christmas not only during the holiday season but in our lives on a daily basis. Christmas is about the gift of giving - a description that almost sounds like tautology but explains the very essence of Jesus' coming to the world. He came to give himself; he came to die that we may live. In the same manner, let us put aside the earthly things that so easily divide us and recommit ourselves to being our brother's keeper.
As the bells ring, the gifts are opened, the feasting takes place and the Junkanoo celebrations consume Bay Street, let us not forget the less fortunate among us. Let us remember to lend a helping hand to those in need. Let us not forget to spend valuable time with our families and friends with a spirit of gratitude. More importantly and in the midst of it all, we must all renew our pledge to serve humanity and one another during this season and beyond just like Jesus. Merry Christmas!
o Arinthia S. Komolafe is an attorney-at-law. Comments on this article can be directed to a.s.komolafe510@gmail.com.
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