In the wake of Nelson Mandela's death this week there has been an outpouring of sentiment worldwide. While most of it is grief, respect, and talk about how one life really can make a difference, there have also been a few articles or posts taking a less than complimentary view of the man.
What Madiba (as he was affectionately called by his fellow South Africans) was or was not throughout the entire course of his 95 years is not what touches me about his legacy. In youth, many of us did things that we are not proud of, or we held beliefs that as we grew and matured we no longer hold.
Mandela spent 27 years in prison........and at the end of those almost 3 decades, he came out a changed man - not changed in his dream to have equality, but changed in his spirit and his heart. After 27 years of being beaten and horribly treated by his oppressors, after 27years of not being in contact with family, and spending a great deal of time in solitary confinement.....I think that a lot of us would be ANGRY. We would be even more empowered and activist minded than ever to get back at "the man" - or the system - or the government.
His famous quote saying "As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom I knew that if I didn't leave my bitterness and hate behind, I'd still be in prison" leaves me speechless - and teary. How self-aware....how HONEST. I think of how many of us carry bitterness over feeling like we don't get enough recognition, feeling like we are the ones who should have gotten the promotion or the title, feeling like we weren't treated well, feeling like life is just too hard.......and all the while being being able to enjoy "freedom" - we shop, we travel, we talk to who we want, yet we allow ourselves to remain in prison.
Mandela came out of prison determined to have peace and reconciliation - even with his captors. Now in my opinion, that is a great man!
He was a one term president, graciously stepping aside and not pulling strings, changing constitutions and basically doing whatever was necessary to desperately hold on to power. That is not a common thing in this part of the world. He died at age 95....he could have died still being the president of South Africa if he had wanted - if he had been willing to do whatever it would take to hold onto the power. Believe me, others have tried, some are in the process of doing it - no names here, but it's not hard to figure out.
He went on to establish the 46664 campaign for HIV awareness and care. 46664.....I read that some people felt that was a satanic number and further proved his ties to all things dark and evil. In reality - white people gave him that number, it was his prison number. He was reduced to a number. He left prison and entered a South Africa that was suddenly in a growing crisis of death due to HIV. People were marginalized, shunned, left to die without care. I remember reading an article where he said that no one should only be known as a number....whether in prison....or whether an HIV statistic.
I have incredible respect for anyone who can take such difficult circumstances and not only survive, but thrive....and come out of them humble, loving, and full of forgiveness. We visited Robben Island one year. We did the tour and at one point they allow you to go into his room that he occupied for ....I can't remember how long - but I want to say for 10-15 years of his imprisonment. Solitary, he was allowed something like one hour a day out in the yard and the rest of the 23 hours was spent in that very small room. It had a window, high up, small. I remember standing there, looking out it, thinking "this is the piece of sky that he was limited to for so many hours, so many years". On days when I feel claustrophobic by the incredible crowding and stress of life in Kinshasa, on days when I wish that our little mission house had a yard and a bit of beauty on the outside, I stand and look out the window (which looks right to a wall with razor wire on it) and I think of Mandela's window and how blessed I am......my little piece of sky is much bigger than what he had and I can leave it when I want.
That we should all have this commitment to forgiveness and the humility to not see our own self-importance.....that whatever influence we have that we would use it to promote love and kindness and reconciliation. That our own actions would speak as loud as his.
I'm not easily impressed by names or titles. I'm a farm girl - I don't know that that has much to do with it, but I was raised to work hard and appreciate what I had. As a missionary I've seen many people with many titles......and felt very disillusioned and disappointed at how they flaunt those titles and use their prominence and influence for their own gain. The people who impress me are the ones who suffer, who take life as it happens and thrive! Who become even better people through difficulty and use their experience, not as a chip on their shoulder to flout to all, but as a conduit of blessing and positive change in their sphere of influence.
When my kids were little they'd always ask, "mom, if you could meet anyone in the world - alive or dead - who would you want to meet?" Well, obviously Jesus.....and to be honest Noah (who doesn't want to hear first person "tales from the ark"??).....and thenI'd always say "Nelson Mandela."
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