The MAN Mordecai!!!

Dear friend,

Hallo there, are you well? I would gladly start by giving you a name. Yeah I stumbled across a name I think would suite you. You shall be called:*drumroll* Makmende. That's an awesome name, I know because of what my infant mind alluded to every time I said it. When I was awfully younger than I am now we used to call heroes in movies one of three things: either Kauzi, Stero or Makmende. In my books you are a genuine hero, a hero of faith if you like. Equally Paul calls us overcomers, victorious people. So are you!

Makmende, I was today going through the last Chapter of the book of Esther and short as it is God was gracious enough to teach me a handful. It so small it has only three verses! What did I learn? you might ask, well if you back to the title you sort of have an idea. This letter is for the men; the real men.

Over the last decade a question has lingered in my mind on what it is to be a man! Well that's not entirely accurate, this question has lingered in many forms most of them significantly misguided, ill thought or maybe absent all together. Well this has been impressed all the more in the last couple of weeks and even so yesterday(forgive time change it is just past midnight now as I write) as I went through the portion of scripture in Esther.

As I read through the bible verse in the morning I was perturbed at how significantly small it was. It was the account of one man Mordecai in summation to lend a view of what happened in the end after such a dramatic turn of events in the lives of the Jews in exile at the time. It was a bit frustrating to see just a small portion to read after days of laboring over ginormous* portions of scripture. This was as well accompanied by the presupposition that larger portions are more profound and weighty in their messages. Was I wrong!

So the interpretation came in the form of events and activities that followed this reading, let me briefly describe them: first was a lengthy talk with a girl from school. She was sharing the frustrations of using matatus ( Kenyan slang for the buses and minibuses used in the public service transport system ). It is a frequent occurrence of either a harassed or ignorant passenger who suffers the whims of an often drunk or naturally arrogant conductor. As a lady she yearned for one of the men in the vehicle to stand up for her or practically any person who is a victim of such. I was taken aback as well trying to remember how often I stood up for anyone whom I didn't know in a matatu or other public places.

The other was during a reading of a post on www.desiringgod.org. I was stunned to get a view that I had not really tried to wrap my head around: men are there physically but very absent psychologically and emotionally, “...making fake love and fake war...” The context was slightly different however, it is fascinating to note the correlation of this metaphor with the sentiments expressed above by my friend. Men are rarely expressive of the true love and commitment of Christ Jesus especially in those public places. Jesus commanded us to Love God and love neighbor. Are we doing that? Are we loving neighbor and making war on injustices suffered(Jesus' way)?

The other was during another reading of a chapter in God's not dead. The author in trying to point us to true and undefiled religion shows us the example of Jesus a man who was always quick to oppose injustice and fought for the dignity of the everyone of us. Imagine if Jesus decided to be like one of the men we carry ourselves out to be, we'd never have the gift of eternal life!!!!

That is when it dawned on me, what the chapter portion for yesterday actually was. Let us read: Esther 10:3

Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, pre-eminent among the Jews and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews...

This was a man earlier on in the scriptures least acknowledged either by the people nor the King. He was practically a commoner. If you look at the report that is quoted above it is amazing to consider the praise that has eventually befallen him. I hope you asked the question why, did you?

Check this out:

...because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.

It is clearly pasted here, he was feted as such because of his mindful state of other Jews above his own, because of his selfless love for people's wellbeing. He was a noble man by fact of the impact in community and the desire to always see Justice and mercy expressed. This draws me to think of Jeremiah 9:23-24, this coupled with 1 John 2:6. God is inviting us to emulate the life of Mordecai and especially so that of Jesus!!

Men have been called to loving God and more specifically to be bold soldiers of the cross who can lay their lives down for the love for neighbor. Equally this does not preclude ladies, it is a challenge to the Men to step up and show their leadership capability! Finally this is an appeal to reclaim our manhood, it has been said that real manhood is dying( let us prove them wrong). so finally I am finding answers to my decade long question, real manhood is giving and investing ourselves to God and to community at least that's one answer.

Ladies pray for us to be real men, them that LOVE GOD.

Yours Faithfully

MIGUUBEAUTIFUL.