Nelson Mandela – This World and the Next
As we continue to learn from some of South Africa’s great theologians and spiritual leaders, let’s look at a quote from the man himself, Nelson Mandela.
As a young boy, Mandela was involved in the Methodist church, and in his famous biography Long Walk to Freedom, he writes the following about his experience with the church: "The Church was as concerned with this world as the next: I saw that virtually all of the achievements of Africans seemed to have come about through the missionary work of the Church."
There are two great dangers that the church faces: the first is being overly focused on life after death. If the sum of our Christian understanding is that Jesus gets us a ticket to heaven, we have lost focus. If all we think and dream about is when our time on earth is done, and we all get to heaven one day, well maybe we have lost the big idea. Maybe we have forgotten that Jesus came to bring us new life while we are still alive on earth, as well as for after we die.
Balance Earthly and Eternal
But the other danger is that we become so focused on the earth, that we forget God’s invitation to life after death. Death is, after all, coming for all of us. And if we have no conception of what awaits us after death, then we are missing out. Our Christian hope is an eternal hope, it’s a hope that says “not even death can kill my spirit”.
Madiba, apparently, saw this in the church. He said that the Christians were “as concerned with this world, as the next.” Does that describe your church, and mine? Does it describe your life, and mine?
Here in South Africa, we are facing many issues and problems with corrupt leaders and crippling destruction of infrastructure, causing many people to leave for other countries where at least the corrupt leaders still take care of the cities and towns. Others have stayed put because they can’t afford to leave, and have basically resigned themselves to a bad situation. I’ve heard some people say “why should we pray for improvement and work for improvement, if the Bible talks about things getting so bad in the last days? Aren’t we just going against God then, if we seek improvement?”
Active Agents of Change
I think that’s a terrible mindset. God has not brought us onto a sinking ship and told us to just brace ourselves as we go down. He has brought us into the world to bring healing, and transformation, and goodness, because it needs these things. We’re supposed to be the people who are the hope of the world and the light of the world. We should be the very ones working for improvement and growth in all areas of life.
I don’t believe Christ is coming back to fix our mess. I believe Christ has commissioned us to fix the messy world in His name, with His authority.
So like Madiba said, the church should be as concerned with this world as the next. Today, look forward to heaven with great joy and anticipation. But let’s work in this world passionately, with God’s blessing and Jesus’ authority, to bring hope where hope is missing, and love where love is missing.
That’s our calling while we are still here on earth.
