These are the days when once again it will be determined whose blood flows more strongly thru the veins of Nagaland, whether it is the blood of a Sema, the blood of a Angami or the blood of Christ. These are the days when cultural identities will once again be reinforced and the lines that divide communities will once again be entrenched deep. These are the days of great conflict across Nagaland but the greatest conflict must right now happen in the heart and mind of each Sema and each Angami who dares to call himself a Christian. He will have to determine within him once and for all who the stronger man dwelling inside of Him is whether it is an Angami, a Sema or Jesus Christ. If he is of Christ he will dare not join any act or even entertain a thought of revenge instead he or she will make every effort to establish peace. This is not just true for Semas and Angamis but for all Nagas.
Nagaland can no longer belong to the Nagas, unfortunate incidents will once again give rise to clashes like these which will once again threaten to break into bring back the age old bitterness and vengeance with twice the force, Nagaland must therefore be completely invaded by Christ and His Kingdom. These are the times when those of us who are of Christ must be convinced that our cultural identities will one day destroy our land. No other identity but the identity of Christ must be allowed to continue within each of us. Those who aspire to be radicals must go ahead and change their cultural names and adopt biblical names to prove their loyalty to Christ. For we are neither jew nor greek, angami nor sema we are all one in Christ. Gal 3:28
This is the time for those us who belong to Christ especially leaders to step forward and make every effort to establish peace and if need be to confront vengeful members of their own communities with Christ. If any loyalty matters it is not to our communities but it is to Christ - for He was the one who unsparingly bled on the Cross for us - and it is in His blood that all hate, all revenge, all unforgiveness - even our identities that separate us must dissolve. It is this blood that covers each of us and binds us together as one people - the people of God. As the fire of vengeance spreads thru Nagaland let the river of Christ-forgiveness too flow with equal intensity to counter it. All the angamis and all the semas who say they are of Christ and remain quiet instead of making efforts to establish reconciliation and peace in a time like this deny Christ.
Jackson Smith
Visiting Professor
Dimapur
