A nation of cowards or is it?

I, due to my personal experiences, encounters and observations, for a considerable period of time held a firm view that we Indians are cowards who are afraid to stand, speak and fight for the truth, our rights, against wrongs, injustice and wicked people. India is not a land of cowards as they want to make us believe. One doesn't need lot of courage to kill. Depravity of mind will do. A mind full of evil and a heart full of hatred and wickedness will suffice to kill and rape. The ones who resort to threatenings, rape, and  murder are the ones who are cowards because they are the ones who are attempting to silence every voice of dissention lest their wickedness is revealed.

And then I came across people like Judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya, Senior Executive Editor, Ravish Kumar of NDTV, Journalist Niranjan Takle of Caravan Magazine, Journalist Rohini Singh of The Wire, Journlist Josy Joseph of The Hindu, to name a few, all of whom have risked their lives to not only uncover but to speak and stand for the truth during a time when almost all the major news media outlets have continued to exhibit an indifferent attitude and maintain a stoic silence over the disclosures made by these journalists.

These guys too are ordinary individuals just like you and me. They too have a family, relatives and friends who are concerned about the safety and well-being of these guys and who they are accountable to. They too have to go out to the market to buy vegetables, or go for a stroll in the mornings or evenings. They too like ordinary individuals come back home alone at night. They too may have had their fears, but they, while fighting the fear within, staked their all to uncover the truth and stand, speak and fight for the truth.

The amazing thing about it all is that these guys aren't even saved, have not known or  experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ but for the sake of truth have given it all. They, for the present truth and have staked their eternity. How much more should we Christians, who have known and tasted Jesus Christ and His redemptive work, stand, speak and fight for the truth.

The current evil government has, through multiple organs available at its disposal, attempted to instill fear into our lives and has even succeeded in making us to believe that we are a nation of cowards. That it is futile to stand, speak and fight for the truth. That there would be no one to stand up to defend you. It may all be true but these few guys have shown, while they fought the war against fear within themselves and knowing fully well that they would be an easy prey against the powers that be, a remarkable courage, and are worthy of honor.

Being Holy: Biblical Perspective, Final

Reason number three, because of His son’s sacrifice on the cross. Paul in I Cor 6: 19 and 20 says, ‘Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ For you were bought with a price. You do not belong to yourself. You do not own yourself. You are a slave to Christ. You cannot do what you want to do.

Do you realize how difficult it is to go out in the streets, knocking doors as a salesman? As a salesman, I have done door to door sales and I know how difficult it is to make yourself get out of your room, shed your ego and shame and go knocking. I have stood in the malls and exhibitions approaching people, we call it prospecting. Do you realize how difficult it is? All salesmen do whatever it takes to procrastinate, postpone the prospect of going out and making cold calls. And Jesus having shed His glory and honor endured the shame and humiliation of being beaten and spit upon. If that was not enough, he was made to walk all the way to the Calvary, making himself a spectacle in front of the whole crowd who had gathered to see this event. If people didn’t know Him, it would have been easier for Him to go unrecognized as just another criminal being punished for his crime. But here He was, among the same people whom He taught daily in the synagogue, whom He healed, spoke great monologues. They knew Him and that’s why they mocked Him. He faced treachery from His own people, falsely convicted, humiliated and mocked by soldiers, endured pain due to the beatings and crown of thorns, isolated at the cross, died the death of a criminal. He did it because He chose to suffer for our sake. Jesus said in Jn 10:17b-18, ‘I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.’ II Cor 5:15, ‘And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.’ Peter in I Pet 1:18 and 19 says this, ‘Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.’

Reason number four, because you are saved. God demands holiness because He is holy. God demands holiness because He hates sin. God demands holiness because of His son's sacrifice on the cross. God demands holiness because you are saved, transformed, redeemed, new creation. So, do not conform yourselves to the former lusts. II Pet 1:14. Conduct (behave) yourselves throughout the time of your stay in fear. I Pet 1:17. Fear means reverence.

God demands holiness from people who do not know Him for even though they may not know the True and Living God, they have a conscience which either accuses them or excuses them. Rom 1:19, 2:14, 15. How much more pertinent it is for those who are God's children to yield to this demand of their God.