Log Kya Kahenge?

Introduction:

Log kya kahenge? (What will people say?) – is what many of us think when we try to do something that others don’t believe in. This is a typical Indian parameter when many of us try to do something in life. People would remain jobless rather than working hard as a security guard because Log Kya Kahenge? Due to lockdown and lot of business shut down many people lost their savings but still live lavishly because if they don’t toh Log Kya Kahenge? And there are n number of scenarios where we Indians use this statement.

This statement also applies to Christianity because many of us Indians are rooted to their culture and not only Indians but many other countries across the globe use this statement in their native language in such similar situations. Many Christians in India even after accepting Jesus try to hide it from their families, relatives and friends because of this same reason. (I am not criticizing anybody here; just stating out the fact) We are too focused on thinking what people would say instead of focusing on what God wants to say.

My personal “Log Kya Kahenge?“ Experience:

I personally recall a situation where once I was leading a worship in one of the churches, and I suddenly got a name from the holy spirit of a person and was asked to call out his name and to motivate him. But I was too afraid to do that because the audience were a maximum of 25 people and if I call out the name and if no one comes out, toh Log Kya Kahenge? So, I rather chose to stay quite and even today I regret calling out that name. This happened because I was too focused on what people would say and not on what God wants to say. I always hope that God may have used someone else and motivated him at that time because I failed God!!

But coming back to the point, we all need to avoid focusing on people and choose to focus on God. To prove my point, let’s see what God had to say (I would rather say testified) about some amazing characters because they were not focused on Log Kya Kahenge?

Moses:

Moses was considered to be the humblest man on the face of the Earth (Read Numbers 12:3). We all know how Moses denied God for taking the initiative to rescue Israel during the burning bush incident. He criticized himself repeatedly to show he wasn’t the right guy for the job. But still Moses was God’s first and last choice for the job (Read Exodus 3). But when Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his wife, God heard them and was the first to defend Moses saying,

“When there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
I speak to them in dreams.
But this is not true of my servant Moses;
he is faithful in all my house.
With him I speak face to face,
clearly and not in riddles;
he sees the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?”

The end result was Miriam was left with leprous as God’s wrath was on her (Read Numbers 12: 6-10).

God spoke to Moses face to face and his face shone so bright that he had to wrap a veil over his face. Moses was not just a prophet or a servant to God but he was the most faithful one. And God testified in his favour.

David:

David was a shepherd boy whose job was to tend his father’s sheep. He wasn’t a boy from the royal family to be anointed for Kingship. David was rejected by his brothers because he wasn’t a warrior like them (Read 1 Samuel 17:28). Even his father didn’t consider him eligible for the Kingship when Samuel came to anoint him. But the Lord God Almighty through Samuel, the prophet said that Saul’s kingdom will not endure and instead God has sought a man after his own heart and has appointed him to be the leader of the King (Read 1 Samuel 13:14). Furthermore, he added that David was better than Saul (Read 1 Samuel 15:28).

John – The Baptist:

The birth of John – The Baptist was foretold by the angel of the Lord to Zechariah and his wife just like Jesus’ and said that he would go on before the Lord to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Read Luke 1: 11-17). Jesus testified about John that among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. And this Jesus testified when John was in prison filled with doubts about Jesus being the Messiah.

Mary of Bethany:

The identity of Mary of Bethany isn’t much clear yet as some scholars suggests that she is Mary Magdalene whereas others suggests that they both are two different entities (Read Matthew 26:6-13, John 12:1-10, Luke 7:36-50, Mark 14:1-11). But one thing we are sure of is that Mary of Bethany was the one who poured an expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped it with her hair with reference to all the 4 gospels. Judas, a disciple of Jesus and some other tries to rebuke and criticize this act but Jesus comes to Mary’s rescue and justifies her act. Jesus also testifies, “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Read Mark 14:9)

And if you have noticed, this incident is mention in all the four gospels in the Bible

1. Matthew 26:6-13
2. Mark 14:1-11
3. Luke 7:36-50
4. John 12:1-10

Conclusion:

These are just some examples of how God testifies about people he loves and there are many other characters like Abraham, Solomon, Noah, etc. about whom God testifies in their favour. And these people lived their lives not to please the people around them or thinking of what they would say, but to please God. Their focus was upon the Lord Almighty and therefore the Lord Almighty himself testified to defend them. If they ever had their focus on people, they would have never made it in the Bible.

Now, it’s up to us what we ought to do. We need to decide what will be our priority and the point of focus. Will it be the Lord on whom we will be focusing or will it be the people around us and keep up with the “Log Kya Kahenge?” Statement?

The decision is yours!!