MONROVIA – As Liberia celebrates her 177th Independence Anniversary, Liberians have been called upon to stop pursuing the tendencies of ignoring people who could help them succeed. The call was made by Bishop Kortu K. Brown when he spoke at a Thanksgiving and Intercessory prayer service for Liberia’s 177th Independence Anniversary organized by New Water in the Desert Assembly on Sunday, July 21, 2024 in Brewerville, Montserrado County
“Many Liberians find it difficult to succeed”, Bishop Brown said “because they ignored people in their lives who could help them succeed”, adding that, “a lot of Liberians and institutions suffer because they deliberately ignore people who could help them succeed or overcome whatever challenge they’re faced”
The Pentecostal cleric who is the presiding overseer of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church International narrated how King Ahab when he ruled Israel made it a practice of ignoring people who God had designated to help him succeed. King Ahab angered God by turning to the worship of false gods and the promotion of false religion in Israel. In 1 Kings Chapter 16 verse 33 says that “And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him”. With such grievous sins, the prophet Elijah rebuked him in Chapter 17 verse 1, contending that “…As the LORD God of Israel lives, before Whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word”.
Because of the ignorance of the king, the nation suffered hardship through the Divine withholding of dew or rain that made it impossible for the agriculture program which King Ahab depended on, to thrive as expected. “There was a drought in the land”, he said, “and the people suffered from famine or hunger”, adding that the situation forced King Ahab to send “into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts”.
The former president of the Liberia Council of Churches said that “King Ahab also ignored the advice of the prophet Micaiah not to go to war against Syria because the Lord was not with him in 1 King Chapter 22. The king ignored the prophet and listened to his false prophets even when his fellow king, Jehoshaphat from Judah advised that they should not go to war until they inquire of the Lord. But Ahab didn’t want to listen because He didn’t trust the people God was speaking through and he ignored them”
Bishop Brown called on the Liberian government not to ignore any Liberian who has the potential to help the country succeed. “It’s a failed policy to ignore people who could help you succeed. Liberia has a lots of talents and skilled potential. There are people who can help us address many of the economic, political, social, cultural and religious challenges we face as a nation. If we want to succeed as a nation and a people, we have to stop ignoring such people. God has given them to us as gifts to help us succeed as a people”
As we celebrate another independence anniversary this week, we want to speak to our young people, churches, communities and the nation, to stop ignoring genuine people who could help them succeed. “Many children are in the streets today because they ignored the advice of people who could help them succeed even though others are in the streets because of parental negligence. The burden of national development is heavy and requires many capable shoulders to carry. If we don’t pick the right people and programs to implement, we could end up a tragedy like King Ahab, just beating around the bush or turning around in the same place, attacking and ignoring others who don’t agree with us”
Bishop Brown called on the government to look in every direction of the country to find people who are qualified and capable notwithstanding their political persuasion to help move the country forward. “At 177, Liberia is still a backward country. We can’t afford to ignore the potential God has given us to succeed”, he averred.
