THE TALK OF THE TOWNS

What is your conversation?

As we read along, that's my little question to you.

It is a political season in my country and if you walk by you will see various striking political posters. I am not bothered by the political atmosphere around me. I am, however, stirred by the little things I see and hear at this time. Not a single day passes that I do not hear politics. Not in the news and not on the radio, but in almost all day to day conversations. Politics is in the air if not the air; It is everywhere and I have not been spared as well. In my usual 4km walk to work and back, sometimes I meet friends and politics has never failed to rise in almost all our conversation and this reminds me of a fact in history.

One time, two people were walking on a seven-mile journey to a town called Emmaus, and they reasoned together concerning the things that happened in Jerusalem within the last 48 hours. The man Jesus had been tortured and killed outside Jerusalem two days before, and it made the headlines. I imagine, if it happened today, Daily Nation newspaper would have had an interesting headline like, 'THE RENOWNED KING OF JEWS AND MIRACLE WORKER MEETS BRUTAL DEATH ON THE CROSS'. The death of Jesus was the talk of the towns. It was the talk of His followers and of His critics. The two journeyed on as the story unveils in the Christian Bible, in Luke 24:13. They walked on, in broken spirits, talking about these things. A man seeming to be headed in a similar direction to them then drew near and inquired of what made up their chat. Cleopas, who was one of the two, responded by asking, 'are you the only stranger in Jerusalem?'. He thought the events that happened were too obvious that everyone knew. They had hoped that Jesus of Nazareth would be the one to redeem Israel from Roman Empire’s rule but to their dismay, Jesus was now dead and buried, and the story continues.

A wise man once said, 'Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.' I tend to be attentive to nature and from there, I draw out my water. The two men walking to Emmaus were sad because of a crushed dream. Where they had put their hope, for a moment, seemed no more. They seemed to move in circles with their conversations. How could a heavy heart tell the other words of cheer? They seemed not to understand many things, only until the third man showed up. Learning their silent cries and need, he expounded to them about Jesus and His resurrection and ministry, beginning from the writings of Moses and all the Prophets as the Bible says. Then their hearts were warmed again.

Life is like a journey, and in this context, like the journey to Emmaus. As you walk today, in your 'seven-mile' journey-- perhaps to the shop, or to work, or to play, are you attentive to the talk of the town? As you journey on, are you attentive to the gloom inside the hearts of many? Are you attentive to the hopelessness in society? When the talk of the town is the high cost is of living, the pool party, illnesses, drought and climate change, etc. Will you be that third person who will try to enlighten the world in your capacity and with your abilities? Will your burning candle lighten your neighbor’s candle? As a Christian, will you be that third person who will expound about the Kingdom of Heaven to the seeker of truth and to the one whose trust is in a man? As a Christian, will you talk of the heavenly home that everyone is invited to inherit? Will you be the third person who will teach from the writings of Moses and of all the Prophets? Will you encourage theonomy instead of autonomy? Will you be the watchman sounding the trumpet as an alert call?

The question still goes on. If you meet a person as you walk by, and you know the talk of the town, and you can see how they are filled with care, going through private pain and laughter hiding their silent cries, will you present to the world its greatest need, Jesus the creator, the savior, the helper, the keeper, and the lover, of the whole world?

We're an anchor for those who are hurting

We're a harbor for those who are lost

This is a call to brighten the corner where you are.

As the songwriter says, ‘at the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door. People need the Lord.’

Captain Marshel