LESSONS FROM THE DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT

DEATH IS INEVITABLE

The bible says it is appointed for men to die once and after that judgment (Hebrews 9:27). And though we all know death comes at some point in life and are certain about the reality of death, we are never fully prepared for it; it often leaves us shocked. So was the case with our beloved late president Michael Chilufya Sata. Many people are still in shock even though it was clear that he was quite unwell.  The truth of the matter is, whether we are ready for it or not death comes to all and can come at any time. The Lord of the seasons has appointed a time to be born and a time to die and it comes to all men; the young, the old, the rich and poor, the most important and the not so important. It is appointed for man to die once and after that judgment.

LET’S BE SENSITIVE TO THE FAMILY

There is no doubt the nation has lost its president and is mourning and every citizen is affected one way or the other, regardless of whether you supported or voted for the man or not. This is a national tragedy. Let us also remember that Mr. Sata was not just the president of Zambia, he was first and foremost a husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother and an uncle. The man had a family, people who actually had a very real and close relationship with him and they are grieving more than most of us can even claim. We should be sensitive to their needs and hurts. They are the ones who need the most comfort. It is a public funeral I know but please let us not overlook the needs of the Sata family, they need a break!

THE SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS IS COMMENDABLE

The togetherness of Zambians is not only morally right but very biblical. We are not just a bunch of individuals who happen to live in the same area, we are a family. We may have our differences (and they are plenty) but when there is a need, we come to together. As the Easterners will say “manzi yakapwelele nsomba zekanla pamodzi” meaning when the water dries up in the river, the fish comes together.  And this mindset needs to be commended; we have to guard against the western mindset of individualism. Our motto is right One Zambia One Nation.

PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER WHAT YOU LIVED FOR

Listening to people give their thoughts of the late president has been very interesting. Two things stand out by far, the first is that he was a man of action and the second is that he had a heart for the country and wanted to bring infrastructure development. And this can be traced from the time he was governor in the UNIP government all the way to the time he was president in 2014. He was a man who knew what he believed in and lived to faithfully achieve what he believed in. People will always remember us for what we believed in and ultimately lived for. When the late Levy Mwanawasa died, everyone remembered him for his integrity and fight against corruption. What will people remember me for? What will people remember you for? What are you living for?

It is appointed for man to die once and after that stand before God in judgment, for how we lived and whether we pleased him with our lives or not. He will judge us or whether we were reconciled to him and believed in the only solution to our sins- His son Jesus Christ, whom he gave to come and die for our sins that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.