Like many Kenyans currently, I am very disappointed with the ruling government for many different reasons. One issue, however, has been on my mind quite incessantly of late. I am a Christian, and as you can guess, I had high expectations when this government came into power, mainly because of how they played the Christian card during campaigns and even after winning the election.
Truth is, I knew better than to expect a flawless government because I had already seen our incoming leaders in other positions of power and some of the controversies that surrounded them. Part of me, however, hoped so much. I hoped this would be a lesser evil, that we’d experience less injustice, that we’d see better stewardship of our resources, that now the hearts of our leaders would be closer to the right place than ever before. Suffice it to say, my hope has been thoroughly disappointed.
I have heard proponents of our government making excuses for them for a while now. The main ones being it’s too soon to judge or give them time to settle in and they’ll deliver, or they inherited a broken system/nation, or they have to impose difficult measures to fix the economy. For a while, I sat back and refrained from ruling them out; giving the benefit of the doubt seemed like the wiser thing to do.
Now, almost two years post-election, I don’t think we as Kenyans are being impatient or irrational for demanding better. The current government may have inherited empty coffers, as they like to say, but I’d be surprised if the coffers aren’t emptier than before.
Sadly, I have seen and heard many people question Christianity on account of these leaders. Many held them to a higher standard, and rightfully so, because to be a Christian means to be a follower of Christ, of whom the following are true: selfless, caring, loving, obedient, humble, and the list is endless.
While I may understand why the religion would be questioned based on the actions of those who purport to belong to it, I also know that not everyone who says they are a Christian is a Christian. Matthew 7:16-20 clearly puts it:
16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
This is my hope, therefore, that we shall not throw the baby out with the bathwater because of a few who may not truly belong to the faith.
And to our Christian leaders, if you truly are a disciple of Christ, take up your cross and follow Him. Yours is a difficult assignment that will require you to die to self every day; it will demand going against the grain more often than not. And if you don’t know it by now, you will definitely not fit in. But our reality as believers is, we were never meant to fit in. So, stand up and be counted; you are assured of this however, you don’t need to do it by your own strength.