As Christians; we can affirm our belief in absolutes but we must also humble down to admit that we are fallible beings – sometimes we make mistakes. Therefore, sometimes we are right is not to say we are always right and those who disagree with us are always wrong.
Despite the fact that we all are fallible beings different individuals and different groups have being struggling to convince their ‘right’ to the public with all kinds of means and mostly by killing. John’s Gospel chapter 8 (eight) has so much to give us and to our situation today. The story goes, Jesus was teaching a huge crowd; and the crowd was sitting and standing or leaning against the wall. The crowd keenly listened as Jesus sat and taught. Suddenly a great commotion turned the heads of the crowd at the sound. A group of people burst in shouting and screaming to trap and arrest Jesus. The woman who was caught in the act with another woman’s husband was thrown down at the feet of Jesus. She and Jesus stood up together. The men who had brought the woman were furious and angry as though they were right or perfect people. They demanded a response from Jesus saying, “the law says we must drag her away for her sin; pick up rocks and boulders to stone her to death. What do you say?”
Jesus knew their intention was to glorify their self-righteousness and to tear him apart; that if He agreed with the law they would drag Him and stone Him to death for being judgmental. If He did not agree they would arrest him for being too liberal. Thus, Jesus said or did nothing as if he didn’t know anything. The mob were pressing him, repeating the question over and over again, pushing and shivering him aggressively, they shouted all the more. The crowd were watching thinking, someone was going to get hurt, either Jesus or the woman or the crowd. Under the harsh glare and threats of the mob, Jesus bent down on the ground, He wrote on the ground with His finger, ‘you who are so perfect, you who have never cheated anyone, lied or been selfish, you who never lose your temper, you who never have sinful nature. Yes, you come forward and be the first to stone her to death.’ Praise God! No one could turn up boldly to stone her because their own consciences convicted them that they all have done wrong one way or the other. One at a time they left in silence.
Indeed, everyone, individual or group, has committed wrong against the will of God and against the will and wishes of the people, no one is absolutely right. We all have come short of the glory of God through what has been said, thought or done. Thus, we are no better than the mob who were trying to trap our Lord or worse than the immoral woman. If the woman deserved stoning to death, so do all of us. The only perfect man is God alone.
Go and learn from your mistake and ‘do not sin again’ was the message to her and so to Nagas as well. We Naga people must know and never forget that no one is absolutely right that no one has the absolute right to condemn the other. Even if I were to write to our freedom fighters I would say the same thing that no group has the absolute right to say I am totally right and others are totally wrong. No group has the absolute right and authority to kill and justify their satanic act. Rather, all groups should feel regret and guilt for what they have done and justified falsely. All of them have contributed to and are responsible for our prevailing situation. As long as the attitude of ‘holier than thou’ persists among the leaders – how big they talk and the rhetoric they make – there can be no hope of peace and prosperity out of their leaderships. We can have hope of victory, peace and life in our land, if only they develop the sense of needing one another. If only the love of power (factional supremacy), tribalism, and the love of money are overcome by the love of truth, forgiveness and reconciliation.
The Scripture talks about the cause and effect that each of us will have to give account for everything we have said, thought, or done, or should have done and did not. This issue of cause and effect has been so real to Nagas throughout our history. Yesterday’s mistakes have never forgiven our today, and today’s mistake will never miss our tomorrow. We have been rewarded accordingly to our deeds. What we are reaping today is the effect of what we have sowed yesterday. Nothing can be hidden.
To other leaders (Church, Politics, Public) we are equally responsible for our future at this crucial stage. Even the smallest idea for good or for bad you are manufacturing in your room or outside will be revealed one day not only to your family members or friends or groups but also to all publicly. And you and your generations will be rewarded accordingly.
Please forgive one another and be reconciled is our national cry. Let us not allow the past evils and mistakes remain a stumbling block to new relationships. Martin Luther King Junior has rightly said, “Darkness cannot drive out the darkness; hate cannot drive out hate. Rather hate multiplies hate and violence multiplies violence and finally it leads to destruction.” Infact, we have experienced enough the truth of what King Jr. has said. Yes, the only way to solve our plight at this situation is to love and to forgive one another. Humanly speaking, to love and to forgive whom we consider as our enemy is not at all easy, but we are called to discover the meanings of this difficult task. Look at Jesus on the shameful cross who was treated brutally and inhumanly on the cross. Yet he did not reply back evil with the evil, but he replied back with love and forgiveness and consequently brought us victory.
May love, forgiveness and reconciliation echo in the hearts of every Naga to bring victory in the land.
Adahe Neli
Council of Naga Baptist Churches
