Kuolachalie Seyie
IG Stadium, Kohima
The Lord said “But Esau I have hated and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals” (Mala 1:3) “ I will bring disaster on Esau at the time I will punish him”(Jer. 49:8). Why God cursed and hated Esau above all others? Esau foolishly and irresponsibly despised his priceless God- given divine birthright by selling it to his brother Jacob (Gen. 25:34) thereby insulting God and committing sin against Him and man. It is seen that Esau’s lifestyle had enslaved him to instant- gratification. His conscience did not bother him and he showed no concern for the consequences of his way of living on himself and others.
Let us examine ourselves today to know how many of us have also despised and sold out our dignity, integrity and God -given birthright in the last Nagaland Assembly election as Esau did? Charity or corruption begins at home. We may look at the characters of Isaac’s family. Isaac the son of Abraham had twin sons. The divergence between Isaac and his wife Rebekah came out of their different regard for their sons that was the root of all problems in the family. Isaac loved Esau but Rebekah loved Jacob. For that divided favouritism perhaps both Isaac and Rebekah were to be blamed but Rebekah was more aggressive than Isaac. Her love for Jacob was so fiercely zealous that she gave no room to fair play, truthfulness and obedience to God.
Because of her larger loyalty to Jacob she schemed to steal the birthright of Esau that led Jacob to commit the heinous crime of cheating his father by impersonation, thereby endangering his own life. This resulted in his fleeing empty-handed to a far away land to escape the wrath of his brother. Therefore both Esau and Jacob were equally guilty before God and man. One sold his birthright; the other stole his brother’s birthright. Corruption and bribery is normally a two- way traffic involving the giver and the taker of bribe. We may call it ‘backdoor lobbying business between two or more persons’. In today’s world also Rebekah’s way of doing things seems to be the unquestioned, accepted way to success. The Clean Election stand taken by the churches was right. The churches had no other choice open to them in the situation that confronted our society again when the election was announced.
They were carrying the Cross for the soul and character of our people, lighting a candle to defy the darkness. Let’s be strong and courageous, as the journey of people’s movement for clean election has begun. We have seen our people upholding their dignity and integrity in many areas of Nagaland. However, on the other hand what has actually happened again has revealed the shocking increase in the population of Esau’s descendants in Nagaland and it is easy to imagine the curses of God that will be brought upon our land. As such our future is bleak. Unless we restore God to leadership in our lives, whether we are leaders or ordinary citizens, the consequences of the uncontrolled greed for easy money and hunger for vainglorious power shown by many are inescapable. The curse will be manifested in our shallow spirituality and culture, increasing disregard of principles, compassion and civility in our politics, social relationships, and deterioration in our economy, education, health and employment.
John Kennedy said, “Any form of worship however scriptural it may be is an insult to God, if it is not accompanied by a life of practical righteousness.” A life of practical righteousness seems to be a rare element in our Naga society today and if our worship is an insult to God because of lack of practical righteousness, one can imagine what the upcoming generations will be like. Jesus Christ condemned all kinds of dishonesty, impurity, hatred, selfishness and stealing. He said, “The thief comes only to kill and to steal and to destroy.”(John 10:10). Who then is the thief? A person who steals something from another person or from public offices is a thief. It also includes whosoever under whatever circumstances harbour or support a thief is also a thief. Where is our integrity? What are we doing to ourselves and society? Where do we stand? Where are we heading for? National Election Watch (NEW) stated that “Out of the 59 newly elected members in Nagaland, 36 or 61% are crorepatis (billionaires)”. The question is did they inherit this huge wealth from their forefathers or are these counterfeit! Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian and General in the first Century AD, speaks of man’s character as that of Zealots at the time, who did not mind dying for themselves and who did not mind even slaughtering their own countrymen if their hopes and personal goals of conquest could be achieved. Jesus is perhaps telling us that there have been men who claim that they were leaders from God. They believed in stealing, muscle power, murder and assassination either directly or indirectly to satisfy their greed. Therefore they were thieves according to Him. They only would come to steal and destroy. Their way only leads further and further away from God and His kingdom. But the way of Jesus Christ is peace, unlimited love, faith, honesty, selflessness, purity and abundant life. And if you will only accept Christ into your life, it will lead you ever closer to God and provide you safety, physically and spiritually. Jesus’ point is that those who work only for reward for themselves think chiefly of the money and power but those who work for the love of their people think chiefly of the people they are trying to serve.
Jesus was the good shepherd who so loved His sheep that for their safety He was willing to risk His own life. The flock, rather the church or society is always liable to attacks from the wolves, robbers and the marauders. Is our society today doomed to suffer because of the bad leadership of people who are obsessed with gaining power for personal gain and ambition and not as a means of service to the people and nation? If the leaders are faithless grabbers, without care for the needy, the evils that will result are bound to destroy society.
Society’s first and most urgent need is a leadership based on the example of Jesus Christ who was ready to lay down His life for His sheep (John 10:11-15), so clean election is the agenda of the Churches and social organizations. “How can there be political enlightenment unless there is social equality? How can there be social equality unless there is economic development? How can there be economic development unless there is emancipation through education? How can there be such education and such emancipation unless there is a spiritual awakening?” Let’s pray that there may be politics with principles based on values of equality and equal distribution of resources, creation of wealth in the society with work and industries, good times and good life with clear conscience, intelligence with strong character, trade and commerce with moral standard of Christ, science and technology with humanity and worship of our God Almighty with a life of practical righteousness and sacrifice. Let us not behave like Esau to avoid the curse and God’s hatred upon us, nor behave like Jacob by committing the heinous crime of cheating our own fathers in any way. Spiritual awakening, clean life, clean society and clean governance are the only solution and way to have God’s blessing to heal our land and a future of hope for our people.”Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Ps.119:105).
