I can't help but wonder if we are reaching our potential or if we, like the Children of Israel, have settled for a tenth of what God has for us. We should remember where we have come from, where we are today and where we are going.
by
Dr. Henry Johnson
The month of February has been set aside as Black History Month. There is no doubt that we have a rich
history. Our history has produced inventors, doctors, chemists,
preachers, lawyers, theologians, activists, teachers, actors,
authors just to name a few. The accomplishments of our people
has had an impact on America and the world. We have truly been
blessed as a people. This is a month that we should remember
where we have come from...where we are today...and where we are
going. I can't help but wonder if we have possessed all that God
has for us and have we reached our potential.
In our text, Moses, the leader of Israel, has died. The children
of Israel are at the edge of the Promised Land. Moses, their
leader, is dead, so they are mourning his death. Moses had been
called by God to go to Egypt to lead this people out of slavery.
He had lead them through the wilderness...through their wavering
faith...through their lack of commitment ...through the dying
out of a generation but now after 40 years of his leadership
Moses is dead. They are waiting to possess the land promised
them by God. They are stuck because Moses is gone. They are
mourning because Moses is gone. They haven't heard from God
because Moses is gone.
In the midst of their mourning, God speaks to their new leader,
Joshua who is the son of Nun. God lets Joshua know that it is
time for them to arise...go over the Jordan...to possess the
land He had given them. The children of Israel were stuck in
their mourning for Moses. They weren't moving. There was no
progress. I tell you they were stuck. Perhaps, they thought that
since Moses was dead that they could not go on. You see Moses
had bought them out of slavery. He had renewed their
relationship with God. Moses had revealed God's Law to them. He
had lead them for forty years. Moses was their leader but now he
was gone and with him gone some might have felt they were not
going any further.
But God stepped in with a word from Heaven...He told Joshua that
it was time to get up. It was time to cross over the Jordan. It
was time to go into the land that He had given to the children
of Israel.
God tells Joshua in verse 3, Every place that the sole of your
foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said
unto Moses. God had promised them the land. The land was theirs
to have and all they had to do is go in and possess it. God told
them that every place they walked on would be theirs. He even
describes the areas available to them. God said From the
wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river
Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea
toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. God gave
them approximately 300,000 square miles of land to possess. He
opened the door for them to go in and possess the land. He told
them that He would be with them as they possessed the land. All
they had to do is be of good courage and trust Him as they
possessed the land.
I must report to you today that the children of Israel never
possessed all the land God gave them. As a matter of fact, they
only possess about 30,000 square miles. This is only one-tenth
of what God wanted them to have.
The children of Israel allowed things to get in the way of their
blessing. They put limits on God. They failed to go in and
possess their promised land. They settled for a tenth when they
could have had the full blessing. The never reached their
potential.
Before we become too critical of the children of Israel let's
take a good look at ourselves. We came out of slavery like they
did. We are told that we were taken from Africa and brought to
America. We were put to work by the task masters. The labor was
hard but we helped build this nation with our blood, sweat, and
tears. Our women were raped. Our families were divided as family
members were sold to various slave masters. In spite of all that
has happened God has brought us a mighty long way. He blessed us
so we could be a great people and produce great men and women.
Our history has produced people like Benjamin Banneker,
who urged Thomas Jefferson to work for the abolition of slavery.
Sojourner Truth, who was a nationally known speaker on human
rights for slaves and women. Harriet Jacobs who was a reformer,
Civil War and Reconstruction relief worker, and anti-slavery
activist. Alexander Crummell, who was a preacher and author.
Harriet Tubman who was called the “Moses” of our people because
she was the conductor of the Underground Railroad and lead
approximately 300 slaves to freedom during a decade of freedom
work. Ida Wells-Barnett who was a prominent anti-lynching
leader. E. Franklin Frazier who was Sociologist and educator.
Lorraine Hansberry's who was a playwright and activist artist.
She earned the tile of “Warrior Intellectual.” Carole
Moseley-Braun who was elected Senator from Illinois, becoming
the first African American woman to sit in the U.S. Senate.
These individuals reached their potential and were instrumental
in advancing various causes and opening the door for future
generations.
I can't help but wonder if we are reaching our potential or if
we, like the Children of Israel, have settled for a tenth of
what God has for us. When I look at the black church, I see
turmoil rather than unity. I see people who claim Christ as Lord
but they aren't carrying out His mission. I see the church that
use to be the roots of the black community losing its influence
in the community. The black church use to be the center of our
neighborhoods. The place we came in the good times as well as
the bad. The church was a place where we worshiped... we
rallied...we ministered to the physical, social, and spiritual
needs of the individual and the family.
I see the black family that once was strong and anchored in the
Lord dying. In the black family, the parents used to come to
church and the children had no option but to come to church. The
children were well behaved because the parents taught them to
sit in church...to learn their Sunday School, BTU, and Bible
Study lessons and participate in Sunday School, BTU, Bible
Study... and youth activities. They taught them to respect their
elders even if it was the wino on the corner. In the black
family, the grandparents used to be instrumental in the
direction and health of the family. Momma or as some might say
big momma would keep things together. She would keep peace,
unity, focus, and make sure the children got an education even
though she might not have ever gone to school. She wanted the
children to reach their potential.
The black family seems to be dying because the big mommas of
today and the parents of today want to compete with the younger
generations hanging out in the clubs and trying to stay young.
I'm concerned that our younger generations don't treasure the
freedoms that many died for in our history. Freedoms like
education, voting, and owning property. I'm concerned because we
have children who don't think they need an education but they
think they should be corporate executives so they have formed
their own companies called gangs and are involved in illegal
activities. As a result of these activities, we find the largest
population in our prisons to be black men. I'm tell you I am
concerned that we as a people aren't reaching our potential. I'm
concerned that we have become so apathetic that we won't vote.
We have forgotten that our vote is important and that we can
influence the direction of our nation with our vote. We sit idly
by and let one woman's influence push public prayer out of
school. Since that law went into effect, our schools have gone
downhill fast. We have children taking weapons to school. Drugs
being sold in school. We don't know if our children or our
teachers will return home safely from school. I tell you I am
concerned that we have gotten so relaxed and we are not reaching
our potential. Our younger generations don't seem to care much
about owning anything except cars with expensive stereos. They
want the bling bling but don't realize that owning a home will
bring the bling bling. I am concerned!
My dear brothers and sister, the question remains...HAVE YOU
REACHED YOUR POTENTIAL? The children of Israel were willing to
settle for 30,000 square miles rather than possess the 300,000
square miles God had promised them. They didn't reach their
potential. They seemed to have forgotten that God had done great
things for them and He could continue to do great things. They
took their eyes off of God that's why they didn't reach their
potential. I just want you to know today that we must keep our
eyes on God if we are going to turn things around and reach our
potential. We must trust in the Lord and lean not to our own
understanding and acknowledge Him and He will direct our path.
God is saying to us today...arise...go and possess the blessings
I have for you...go and reach your potential and do great
things.
Just Keeping It Real!
Reverend Dr. Henry Johnson
5 February 2004
doctorj@praisenet.org
TOP OF PAGE
