CHANGE

In 1 Samuel 8:5, the people asked Samuel to appoint a king to lead them, but Samuel was displeased with their request. God said, "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king" (1 Samuel 8:7). Imagine having God as your king - what could He fail to do? What nation could He fail to conquer? How great His kingdom would become! Beautiful streets, abundant food, and remarkable development. But the people requested a change in leadership, demonstrating that even the best arrangements can become stale.

A Ugandan wise man once said, "Even the best dancer eventually gets off the stage." Everything in this mortal world has a beginning and an end. Beauty is like a flower that soon withers; it's foolish for a mortal to boast about their beauty, for who will marry them when it fades? When people rejected God as their king, He could have waged war on them, but He chose not to. As the creator, He could have wiped them out, but He is a God of love, and the foundation of His creation is based on love. He knew that rejecting change invites rebellion, and rebellion leads to war.

The Bible, which some consider outdated, illustrates how God accepted change. Some want to update the Bible to fit modern human rights, but there's nothing new in this world. There's nothing said today that hasn't been said before, and nothing done today that hasn't been done before. Don't be fooled; the gun and the spear both kill, and the Lamborghini and the horse both transport. The past and present are alike; learn from past mistakes, but don't update the Bible. You can't tell your future if you don't know your past.

As Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." A wise man said, "Rain won't rain forever, and the sun won't shine forever." Expect change in whatever you do and whatever lifestyle you live. Don't let earthly desires get the best of you. Don't trample the weak and poor, for the God who gave you wealth is still alive and quickly responds to the cry of the poor and weak. Things change unexpectedly, like nimbus clouds covering the sky in an instant. The rich become poor, and the reverse is true. Respect people in all categories, and remember to excuse yourself from pride. Surround yourself with wisdom and hide from knowledge, for knowledge is an enemy of change. It brings negative thoughts to leaders who soon become dictators.

Knowledge has brought progress but also deadly diseases like HIV-AIDS and COVID-19, which have claimed countless lives. Through knowledge, humans have manufactured weapons like nuclear weapons that could extinct the world if the third world war erupts. Nuclear energy causes cancer, destroying innocent lives. Knowledge fools leaders, making them think they're the only ones with potential. They say, "I still have the vision," and anyone who speaks about change is quickly labeled an enemy of the nation. Change is inevitable; it can be delayed but never stopped. When rejected, it turns into a predator.

Great leaders who dominated this world fell; everything they toiled for is no more. Not even their children and grandchildren tasted the wealth and power they worked for. We all have the same destiny, but what differs is the legacy left behind. One key element of a perfect legacy is listening to the winds of change. Nelson Mandela led for one term and retired, accepting a peaceful transition of power. He could have installed himself in power, but he chose to leave a lasting legacy. No one is as popular as Nelson Mandela; his legacy defines what change can bring.

This message is for all leaders, especially those who oppose change. All leaders who rejected change have died shamefully with no respect, from King Saul to present leaders. Leadership is a gift from God; misuse it, and it shifts to another worthy person. Use your leadership wisely and remember to hand over when change calls. "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Change is a small word but destroys years of hard work if rejected, and it gives immortality to the name of one who recognizes it. That's the power of change; its gifts are little but live forever.