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MAKING OTHERS INVISIBLE (ZECHARIAH 7:8-14)

The Lord spoke through Prophet Zechariah against the oppression of the vulnerable in the society and the impending judgement thereof. 

REFLECTION 

Making others invisible is the theme for our reflection. Invisible is the situation whereby it becomes impossible to be seen by others. To make others invisible means to render others insignificant through our actions and inactions. Every society has a category of people who are invisible because of their social status and the way society treats them. The vulnerable in society are often being overlooked hence they are invisible. They are not people society will usually focus attention on. Those who are visible in society are the affluent and public officeholders. 

The focus of today’s reflection is that God is the God of the oppressed and the vulnerable therefore He spoke through Prophet Zechariah to inform the Israelites to “…Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ (Zechariah 7:9-10). If society fails to administer justice and show mercy to the vulnerable they become invisible as if they do not exist. Christians must be actively engaged in social ministry to ensure that the above commandment and will of God is fulfilled so that the vulnerable become visible in our society. We must ensure that their human dignity is respected and protected. 

Jesus shows us a perfect example of making it our daily mission to make people visible by being good and merciful to them. Peter recounted that “… God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him. “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. (Acts 10:38-39). God’s power is made manifest in us if we make the vulnerable people visible in our societies. God’s disapproval and judgment are seen in Zecharia 7:11-14. This clearly shows that God is not happy so long as our actions or inaction make others suffer and become invisible in our societies. The church and Christians in their individual ways must ensure we are actively involved in the protection of vulnerable groups such as widows, orphans, refugees and strangers who have come into our country in search of livelihood or greener pasture. Jesus admonishes us in Matthew 25: 40-46 about how God will judge us on whether or not we have made others invisible through our deeds. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. Shalom

PRAYER

HOLY SPIRIT, IGNITE IN US THE FIRE OF LOVE,  MERCY AND THE RESPECT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY SO THAT WE SHALL CONTINUE TO MAKE THE VULNERABLE VISIBLE  IN OUR SOCIETIES. STRENGTHEN US TO PREACH THE GOSPEL FOR THEIR SALVATION IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. AMEN

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)