Celebrate Charity today

The statement “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints”. Psalm 116: 15 is perhaps one of the most enigmatic in Scripture. Curiously it is sandwiched between two statements calling for the fulfillment of our vows to God. Ps 116: 14; 18.

It seems to fit into the greetings in Yoruba “ A ku oro enia” we give to each other on occasions as this. The meaning of which is that we appreciate the inestimable value of the person who has died.

As I try to gather my thoughts and feelings at the death of our dear Charity Fakinlede my mind has gone to this statements. I cannot be categorical that she was conscious of fulfilling specific vows she had made to God as she sought to live her life. In a sense this happened because the kind of person she allowed herself to be shaped by the Holy Spirit in partnership with her husband Omotayo, her children, relatives, colleagues and friends.

Consciously or not she entered into the uniqueness which God purposed in her. As someone has said, “God has no duplicates for even identical twins only look such to those who do not know them closely. Yet we all have the problem of wanting to be like someone whom we admire. Paul urged his readers to imitate him only as he imitated Christ. At the beginning of His ministry our Lord told His disciples that His food was to do the will of God and finish it John 4:34.

As we celebrate Charity today we celebrate her having finished what God has given her to be and do even though we would have loved to see her continue. But we would not seek to replace her only continue along the path of creative and creating goodness. May this be true of all of us not because of what we do but for what we are especially to God.