PLEASE SPARE THE VICTIMS!

“THERE were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them; Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?

I tell you, Nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish,” Luke 13:1-3.
Reader, about a week ago I read three stories in newspapers that touched the innermost part of my heart. One was of a primary school child who went to the toilet at school before lessons started, and fell next to the door in the toilet, and died.

The other was of a young boy who climbed a mango tree to eat some mangos, who fell down headlong, and died. And the last was of a family man I knew so well, who was allegedly waylaid and hacked at the gate to his home, and subsequently died.

A Bible dictionary defines ‘compassion’ as ‘suffering with another’ or ‘a desire to relieve another’s distress’. Reader, through this short article, I do wish to express my compassion towards these and other victims of tragic deaths, their relatives and loved ones, and other grieving people of goodwill everywhere. Some of us are suffering with you and wish we could find a way of relieving you of the distress you must be going through at such a time as this.

One day Jesus Christ had occasion to guide and warn people in times of calamities such as these. Jesus was told by some people about some Galileans who had been heinously murdered in the temple by Pilate who then mingled their blood with the blood of the animals they had come to the temple to sacrifice.
They also told him about 18 people who had died when a tower in Siloam fell on them. Jesus must have read their thoughts because He answered them with these words; “Do you think that these Galileans were worst sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no.” He answered them with the same words regarding those victims of the fallen tower in Saloam.

Reader that is what the human mind does when tragedy strikes. We look around, searching for answers and explanations. We speculate too much about the probable causes of these disasters. We even go as far as blaming the victims. We think they are paying for their wrongs. But Jesus says; “I tell you, no.” The reasons for such things are known only to God; for ‘secret things belong unto the Lord our God,” and ‘who hath known the mind of the Lord’? Yes dear reader, such things are in ‘the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God’, whose ways are past finding out.

But Jesus concludes with a warning, saying: “But, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” The Lord was warning them to stop accusing the victims, but start considering their own sinfulness; start repenting of their own sins.

For if they did not repent, although they might not be murdered in the temple or have a wall falling over them, their death would be equally tragic. For the death of an unrepentant sinner is always tragic. When you die you perish. But God is a good God; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Reader, it is a tragic thing to die unprepared; so be prepared. Believe in Jesus Christ and repent of your sins today, and you will be saved. Leave the victims of tragedies and calamities alone. Turn your eyes towards yourself and repent; you will be saved. I am Reverend David Jabulani Mathse of The Family of God Church, Matsapha.

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