What would you do

A group of 45 Catholics and Protestants where murdered by King Mwanga between 1885-1887 in Buganda (know known as Uganda). Their crime was having faith. 22 were canonized in 1964.

As I sat in church yesterday while the African population took over the choir in remembrance of these people, I thought about my life and how easy it was to become lukewarm. Easy to sit on the fence and never let your beliefs be tested. Take the easy route out, keep shut, close your eyes, and turn your back.

I thought about Christians who preached love but were quick to condemn and accuse others of being evil. I remembered a program where some Christians refused to shake the hands of an HIV positive lady. I thought about integrity and how difficult it was to maintain yours in this day and age. Would you be able to stand up for your faith with a burning furnace waiting for you, the heat already burning the little hairs on you arms? Would you be able to stand up for what is right irrespective of the consequences? When faced with such a situation, would you stand up or would you run.

Thank God that most of us are not faced with such ghastly choices. These men were dismembered, beheaded, castrated, speared or burnt. In our daily lives we are faced with smaller choices that shouldn't be hard but they seem to be. It’s sometimes difficult to be honest…a white lie here or there seems easier. It’s difficult to have convictions that are different from others...its easier to laugh when a blasphemous joke is made or to join in on the gossip rather than walk away. It’s easier to turn a blind eye to injustice and a deaf ear to the cries of the helpless. Many think poverty is sad, not many try to help or make any contributions for the poor. Many pity orphans, not many would adopt. Some go as far as saying that the kids may have inherited evil blood. Of course I do not mean for everybody to adopt but if we any have convictions, then we should try and see that we do something, anything about them. Lets not sit and talk, and talk and talk...including me. Nigerians, we have the sit and talk syndrome.

Life is tough and is never black or white. Everyone is human. Not everyone can constantly abide by their convictions but a constant struggle to maintain your integrity is better than remaining lukewarm.

So I made a promise to myself to continue the struggle and to abide by my convictions. Lets not always take the easy way out.

Picture from Buganda.com