By Buti Sam Kputu
[Leah Shuaibu on my mind]
Heros and heroines are made, not born. Even those of faith are made.
They are made by circumstances, usually adverse circumstances.
They become heros or heroines by default, accentuated by our faults.
Where they are brave to stand, we stoop; they speak when we are silent.
Heros and heroines often defy norms; they are usually counter-culture.
For while we crave for relevance in irrelevancies, they often loathe such.
Others thrive on political correctness, they thrive on moral uprightness.
Heros and heroines of faith are often incurable addicts; God’s love, word and will being their addiction.
In the midst of complacency, they contend earnestly for their faith.
Amidst compromise, they confront the enemy to preserve their witness.
And where others wallow in fearful self-preservation, “I shall not die”, they “love not their lives even unto death”
“…It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms …they shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight … others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world…”
Heb. 11:32-38 NLT
Heros and heroines of faith, like our iconic Leah Shuaibu, are God’s hall of famers. They chose to honor The Lord where others would rather desecrate Him for ephemerals and cheap gain.
They died to death, where we live with a palpable and crippling fear of death.
They are HEROS and HEROINES, we are COWARDS and HYPOCRITES.
▪Kputu is the International Director of Calvary Ministries (Capro), and lives in Lagos with his wife, Roli.