What Shall I do ? (KJV)
GOSPEL READING : Luke 12. 13-21

That’s the crucial question men always encounter in their life when important matters need to be sorted out. “What shall I do” is generally a good question when the answer is expected not from men but from God. People whose heart is turned to Jesus usually come to a helpful answer while the others always make bad choices.
From a Burundian tale we are told about Kanyange, a girl who was born from a very poor family in the high mountains of Burundi. Her father died earlier and she didn’t want to leave her mother alone but was finally pushed by the neighbours to marry a rich farmer. In the Burundian tradition, a girl being married has always been an honour to her personally and to her family indeed.
Three years passed and Kanyange had already got two beautiful children. Unfortunately, she hadn’t had yet an opportunity to go and visit her mother in the mountains and present her the children. She had insisted several times asking her husband to allow her to go only once but she was refused. But one day, Kanyange’s mother-in-law told his son off and pushed him to allow her to go and see her lonely elderly mother. The husband accepted and bought a lot of fresh cow’s meat that Kanyange would take for her mother.

The night before Kanyange left, her husband organized a big meal at home and invited the neighbours to come and share. After they had finished, the man stood up to speak and said: “Kanyange, I am so glad that you are going to see your elderly mother and present our two children to her. But be careful and be aware about the dangers which stand in your way. As you already know it, when you reach the first mountain over there, the way you’ll be walking on will come at crossroads and you’ll have a wide one on your left and a narrow way on your right. Be careful, I say it again, Be careful! Do not go with the wide way but keep walking in the narrow way on your right because people say that there is a leopard hanging around there which has already killed a lot of people.

Kanyange agreed and said that she would remember the warning and all the advices given to her. Early, the next morning, she put the fresh meat in a covered basket which she took on her head. She also took the youngest child on her back and the other walked beside her. As they came at the crossroads, Kanyange stopped and sat down wondering what to do. An elderly women carrying a jug of water came the same way and went straight the right narrow way. Another shepherd boy came that way with his two goats and went straight the right narrow way. Kanyange as for her was still asking herself: “What shall I do ? What shall I do ?” She finally decided to go the left wide way which was the nearest for her to reach her village.

Soon she met a leopard. The leopard said: “Woman, I am very hungry, I haven’t eaten anything since a whole week. Do you have something for me to eat?.” Kanyange trembling opened the basket and gave all the fresh meat to the leopard and continued on her way. Not very far from there, She met the same leopard. “Woman, I am still hungry. The meat you gave me was not sufficient. Give me one of your children quickly!”, the beast said. Kanyange gave her boy child who was walking beside her. The leopard ate him. Kanyange weeping continued her way. Not very far from there, She met the same leopard which said again: “Woman, even now I am still hungry. Give me the other child you carry on your back otherwise I’ll kill you!” She gave her other child and the leopard ate him.

Kanyange crying and weeping continued on her way. Not very far, the leopard came again and said: “Kanyange, you are an impossible woman. This time I’ll cut and eat your ears because you never accept advices from people.” The leopard ate kanyange’s ears and left her alone bleeding there in the bush. What shall I do ? Is this also your question today? Here are the answers:

“This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,
But you shall meditate it day and night,
That you may observe to do according
To all that is written in it.
For then you will make your way prosperous,
And then you will have good success.”
(Joshua 1:8)

“He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly, to love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God”
(Micah 6:8)

In Christ’s love

Bishop, Dr. Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
http://iprayforyou.worthyofpraise.org
http://christiansstrengtheningchristian.doodlekit.com/blog
Email : baransajust@gmail.com