The story of Nelson Mandela of South Africa inspires me like few others. These are the facts:
Born in 1918, Mandela became involved in politics in 1948. He emerged as a key leader in the movement against apartheid, a system of racial segregation in South Africa. He was arrested and convicted during that time and served
Nelson Mandela: former President of South Africa
27 years in prison. Following his release from prison on February 11, 1990, Mandela supported reconciliation and negotiation, and helped lead the transition towards multi-racial democracy in South Africa.
Since the end of apartheid, many have frequently praised Mandela, including former opponents. Mandela has received more than 250 awards over four decades, most notably the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize. He served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. In November 2009, the United Nations General Assembly announced that Mandela’s birthday, July 18, is to be known as ‘Mandela Day’ to mark his contribution to world freedom.
What an amazing story! I’m impressed by Mandela’s willingness to sacrifice 27 years of his life for the belief that the prejudice and bigotry against black people under the principles of apartheid were simply unacceptable. Even more astonishing is the fact that he spent those years in prison without succumbing to the internal enemies of resentment and bitterness. After apartheid toppled in South Africa, Mandela has worked tirelessly for reconciliation and racial unity for his country.
Where did that deep conviction and inner strength stem from?
No doubt there are many reasons, but not least among them is his early training in the Christian faith. Mandela’s father became friends with two brothers from the amaFengu tribe who were educated Christians. They inspired Nelson Mandela’s mother to convert to Christianity and Nelson was baptized into the Methodist Church and sent to school due to the influence of the brothers. Later Nelson Mandela was sent to live with Chief Jongintaba who was acting regent of the Thembu people a the time. Here Christianity was part of the fabric of life and Mandela attended church each Sunday with the chief and his wife. After college Nelson Mandela went to Fort Hare and met up with a nephew of Chief Jongintaba, named K.D. Matanzima, also a Methodist; and under his tutelage Mandela attended church services, took up soccer and generally followed his advice. At Fort Hare, Nelson Mandela also became a member of the Students Christian Association and taught Bible classes on Sundays in the neighboring villages. These were important formative years for Mandela in which the principles of freedom, but also forgiveness and reconciliation, were instilled in him, enabling him to live in freedom even though he spent 27 years behind bars.
The Sunday sermon for May 9th was entitled “Extending Grace to Others.” I invite you to listen to it by accessing the audio link below. We are called as Christians to forgive others even as we have been forgiven in Christ. That means canceling the debt of people who have wronged us, releasing them from all obligation to ever pay us back. Our human nature wants its pound of flesh, but don’t we want our freedom more? Mandela found that the key to freedom is not holding bitterness and resentment against those who have wronged you. Freedom is found in reconciliation and peace. In Christ we can release those who have wronged us because God in Christ has released us from the sins we have committed against Him.