Jason, I’ve been following you for a few months now and I really enjoy your posts. This one popped up today via email after today’s read.
Nelson Mandela (A Marxist communist)and his wife Willie the 2nd of 3 wives used “necklacing” on their opponents. Not quite the right example for Christian’s.
Thank you for following along and for taking the time to share your thoughts. I’m glad you’ve been enjoying the posts, and I appreciate your honest feedback on this one. It’s always a blessing to have readers who engage thoughtfully and challenge me to explain things more clearly.
You mentioned Nelson Mandela’s history, and I want to address that carefully. While his wife at the time, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, did make controversial remarks about “necklacing,” there is no evidence that Mandela himself endorsed or engaged in such actions. He was imprisoned during that period, and after his release, he became a strong advocate for peace and reconciliation. The reflection I wrote focuses on his leadership after his release from prison. This isn’t about claiming Mandela was perfect or a Christian, but about learning from his example of forgiveness and humility during a specific moment in history.
One thing I emphasize in these devotionals is that the historical event serves as an inspiration for us to explore God's word. It's a jumping off point for our lessons.
We don’t look to historical figures because they’re perfect or even because they share our faith. Instead, we reflect on what their lives and actions can teach us. Mandela’s leadership, particularly his choice to forgive and work toward reconciliation rather than retribution, is an inspiring example of behavior that aligns with Biblical principles. It reminds us how powerful forgiveness can be.
Your comment also reminds me of an important truth: God often works through imperfect people to accomplish His purposes.
Throughout Scripture, we see this over and over again. Moses killed a man and tried to run from God’s call, yet God used him to lead Israel out of slavery. David committed adultery and murder, yet he became a king described as “a man after God’s own heart.” Paul, one of the greatest apostles, started as a persecutor of Christians before encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus. These stories aren’t about excusing sin. They’re about showing us that God’s grace and plans are bigger than anyone’s past.
The same is true in history. Mandela was not a perfect man, and we don’t need to ignore or erase his past to see how his choice to lead with forgiveness and humility after years of suffering can inspire us. That is why I reflected on his leadership in this particular moment. His actions during that season of his life exemplify the kind of love, patience, and humility that Ephesians 4:2 calls us to live out.
I hope this helps explain the heart behind the reflection. The goal is not to hold Mandela up as a spiritual role model, but to use his story to illustrate principles that are deeply rooted in Scripture and challenge us to live them out in our own lives.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your careful reading and willingness to reach out. It’s a joy to have readers like you who are willing to dig deeper into these ideas with me!
Jason, I’ve been following you for a few months now and I really enjoy your posts. This one popped up today via email after today’s read.
Nelson Mandela (A Marxist communist)and his wife Willie the 2nd of 3 wives used “necklacing” on their opponents. Not quite the right example for Christian’s.
Thank you for following along and for taking the time to share your thoughts. I’m glad you’ve been enjoying the posts, and I appreciate your honest feedback on this one. It’s always a blessing to have readers who engage thoughtfully and challenge me to explain things more clearly.
You mentioned Nelson Mandela’s history, and I want to address that carefully. While his wife at the time, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, did make controversial remarks about “necklacing,” there is no evidence that Mandela himself endorsed or engaged in such actions. He was imprisoned during that period, and after his release, he became a strong advocate for peace and reconciliation. The reflection I wrote focuses on his leadership after his release from prison. This isn’t about claiming Mandela was perfect or a Christian, but about learning from his example of forgiveness and humility during a specific moment in history.
One thing I emphasize in these devotionals is that the historical event serves as an inspiration for us to explore God's word. It's a jumping off point for our lessons.
We don’t look to historical figures because they’re perfect or even because they share our faith. Instead, we reflect on what their lives and actions can teach us. Mandela’s leadership, particularly his choice to forgive and work toward reconciliation rather than retribution, is an inspiring example of behavior that aligns with Biblical principles. It reminds us how powerful forgiveness can be.
Your comment also reminds me of an important truth: God often works through imperfect people to accomplish His purposes.
Throughout Scripture, we see this over and over again. Moses killed a man and tried to run from God’s call, yet God used him to lead Israel out of slavery. David committed adultery and murder, yet he became a king described as “a man after God’s own heart.” Paul, one of the greatest apostles, started as a persecutor of Christians before encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus. These stories aren’t about excusing sin. They’re about showing us that God’s grace and plans are bigger than anyone’s past.
The same is true in history. Mandela was not a perfect man, and we don’t need to ignore or erase his past to see how his choice to lead with forgiveness and humility after years of suffering can inspire us. That is why I reflected on his leadership in this particular moment. His actions during that season of his life exemplify the kind of love, patience, and humility that Ephesians 4:2 calls us to live out.
I hope this helps explain the heart behind the reflection. The goal is not to hold Mandela up as a spiritual role model, but to use his story to illustrate principles that are deeply rooted in Scripture and challenge us to live them out in our own lives.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your careful reading and willingness to reach out. It’s a joy to have readers like you who are willing to dig deeper into these ideas with me!
Much more with his party today (the ANC) are being seen in a bad light
Corruption, incompetence, stuff like that.