Tag: humility

Seeking Justice… from the heart.

In seeking justice in our times, where do you start? Read to learn more.

After we chanted and the ball dropped, we realized we stepped into a challenging year. At first, it was an invisible virus, battling our physical bodies, from the outside. The world rallied. When we thought we had the worst 2020 had to offer, we caught a glimpse of the invisible virus eating away at our souls – the worst of human nature manifest as racial injustice, police brutality, violence against women, and other inequitable brothers and sisters. Then we rallied again.

I’m thankful for the camera that prevented the reason for justice to be relegated to a matter of “he said, she said.” Or even, “Oops, he can’t even say because he’s dead.” I’m thankful for the awakening and the immense support for justice, for those who are listening, and learning and hearing, for those who are agitating, may your strength not waver. To the leaders and legislators publicly asserting their intent to step up to the plate, kudos!

We must remember that media coverage or an uprising does not solve problems. It is the positive actions of change from each one of us that will make a difference.

You don’t know where to start?

From your heart.

A long time ago, God gave us a recipe to civic responsibility, echoed through Prophet Micah, “seek justice, love mercy, walk humbly with Your God.” My friend, that’s where it begins.

A quote which says, seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.

It’s no mean feat, carrying out justice, mercy, love, and humility in daily life. It has to be learned — that everyone is made in the image of God, that you are not better than the person next to you.

I worry that after the media drone is quietened and the sensation is drowned in the sea of forgetfulness, when the tears of lament dry up, will the resolve to change remain as strong as the challenges of human nature? Will we have enough grit to stand for truth in our circle of influence, or will we return to complacent slumber? Are we going to get it this time?

But then, I have hope because I believe that saviors like the judges of old will rise from among us — they will be unlikely heroes whose heart will seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly because they have been consumed by love, kissed by the Sun of righteousness and being healed by the light in His rays.

I hope you and I will be counted among them.

He has told you, O man, what is good; what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?
— Micah 6:8

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In-between… and other things

The In-between

Life is not all moments of honor. Most times, there are no spotlights, no paparazzi or yelling crowds. No, you’re not necessarily working on something big. Sometimes, that big project you anticipated to be successful will not come through. So it’s just you, and your active imagination. What do you do at these times? How to you keep from being frustrated?

“The journey is as important as the destination.”

It’s easy to think that the quality of an excellent life is measured by the number of big things you accomplish and it’s easy to join a wagon of people who are trying to accomplish something while missing life in the process. There are moments I call the in-between, where there is no noise, but just you, doing your thing. If you find yourself breezing through life like lightning bolt, waiting for the next big thing, you might just be missing the whole point of a life of purpose.

img_0109

The in-between is the bridge between the last big thing and the next. You don’t wait out the time, you invest in the future you want to see. But many people, who’d rather bask constantly in the spotlight, would almost throw a fit or pass most days frustrated because nothing big is happening.

The journey

“The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for.”
-Louis L’Amour

Honestly, the journey is the purpose. Do not travel too fast or you will miss the real thing you are traveling for. The in-between period is time to calm your heart, and live daily life in full. Peel off your sheets every morning excited to look for the divine in the mundane. Enjoy solitude, hone your craft, then get out and form meaningful relationships that may not immediately yield financial rewards. Its okay to fill your creative bank account, engage in side projects and community service. Go to work, study your books and explore the beauty of God’s creation in nature.

Often times, the in-between phases consist days of humility. You will be required to remember that when your peers seem to bag achievements in their life endeavors while you feel like you are stuck in a rut, your life is not a competition with anyone else’s but a race to achieve purpose as your maker intended for you.

And, heads up – after humility comes honor!

“Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.”
– Proverbs 18:12

This passage above has bugged me. So much that I wrote it down, and thought hard and long about what it meant to me. I’m still thinking about it and trusting the father to help me remain prone before him through the in-between times and the spotlight moments. Since my last post about the practice of diligence and consistency, I took my own advice and revived some long over due projects and began to take consistent and daily practice of my craft very seriously.

The painting

I painted the quote from the scripture as a reminder to always remain humble. it has received quite an attention on Instagram and also a request for the design to be printed on a shirt. I’m thinking about it and will let you know where that goes.

It’s not been easy, with the demands of graduate school, social commitments and general life but I am motivated to continue this streak. I have a huge community I am accountable to and do not want to fail them.

Current Projects

The #inktober creative inking challenge inspired me to make consistent illustrative projects I will be sharing on my instagram. I do not always follow the designated prompts  but I try to draw what inspires me every day. Check it out @studio1352 to share my progress.
Donut: I’m working on an expanded edition of my first published book, Donut. More details as I draw out a plan and works towards release probably very early in 2019.
Joyride: A graphic novel project I’m working on with a friend in development.
GrandHeights Initiative: Wait for it.

Very soon, I will be sharing exciting details on projects I am working on. For now, I will let you go ruminate on what you just read. Shoot me a comment if you’d like to share.

Cheers,

Toluwanimi

Captain!

Act One:
“This man deserves your help!”
The learned fellows felt the captain was entitled to a miracle because he was a nice guy. “He ought to have it…” they said. A trade by barter between the mortal and the divine, it seemed.

Act Two:
“… I am certainly not worthy to come to you….”
Yes, he was a friend to the nation and put up a synagogue for them. But He didn’t bring this before the Lord.
He did bring something else, though.
Humility. Understanding. Faith.
And this is what God responded to.

Act Three:
“… Just say the word…”
Yes! The servant got well. Everyone marveled. And we have a reminder of what really counts.

Act Four:
Eh-em, there’s no act four. Just think about it.

‪#‎musingLuke7‬
‪#‎vineyard‬