WordToday

Author Matshona Dhliwayo says, "Excellence in obscurity is better than mediocrity in the spotlight." The sight of a drunk man eating githeri (boiled maize & beans mixture) from a plastic bag in public should ordinarily elicit feelings of pity at best or disgust at worst. During the 2017 general election a man eating githeri in the queues shot to national fame. This was after another man, (probably in jest) took his sorry picture and posted it to social media. How a whole nation became fixated on a man eating githeri still beats me to this day. But it didn't end there. The image went on to catch the attention of the highest office in the land. And so ‘Githeri-man’ as he came to be known, was not only given land by the state, but was also awarded a HSC (Head of State Commendation) for well, eating githeri in public? Now we have a government official, a chief to be exact, who was caught on video dancing  to some vulgar song in a Nairobi club. This would probably have pas...

For bedtime stories we walk our children through the bible-chapter by chapter until a book is done and then someone suggests the next book. They are pre-teens now and have had opportunity to go through the Bible quite a few times but there are book collections that never cease to fascinate them. One of them is the Samuel-Chronicles series. The evening readings don't always go the same way. Some days find me reading to a drowsy lot fighting monumental battles with sleep. Other days are relatively lively, and I find myself being bombarded with hard-to-answer questions from all corners of the room. On such days I can hardly get a word edgewise as I'm frequently interrupted with rambling and at times, irreverent commentaries. Some time ago we got to II Kings and boy, wasn't it a difficult run? My daughter, usually struggling with sleep at that hour, was unusually hyper. At every sentence she peppered me with rapid fire questions. My son, ever the contemplator par excellence...

When our children were much younger, my wife put considerable effort in teaching them the so-called 'magic words' – ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. “Please” and “thank you” became a staple in the family. I had to watch myself too. Many times, my daughter would wag her little finger (just like her mother) at me for not saying thank you often enough. So, I wasn't surprised when recently, after walking through the length and breadth of Nairobi CBD with my kids and buying them books, shoes and  a very unhealthy lunch , my daughter gave me an energetic hug exclaiming; "Dad, thanks for a lovely day!" I have never quite understood their fascination with walking through the ever-crowded CBD and winding it off with some junk food. But that same evening I watched my son trying to explain to my equally bewildered wife how  “Dad has spoilt us today” . In a sense, vocalizing our gratitude should come naturally to us but so often it doesn’t. It is gracious courtesy to fellow man...

Matthew  18:3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. The things of God , particularly the way into a life-long relationship with Him, are incredulously simple. I say incredulous because the one who comes to God with lofty and intellectual ideas will more often than not, miss Him completely. All through my teenage and adult life I have taught small children in church-school in many different places. Their simplicity,  unbridled  joy or sadness and  innocence always  fascinate me. They present to us a world we once left but now, somehow, look forward to again. Their hearts and minds have not been hardened by the vagaries of life and for the most part, have also not known the temptations that bind many to a lifestyle they privately wish they could rewind. Therefore, their willingness to trust is unmatched.  They do not pretend to know everything and even when ...

Okonkwo remembered that tragic year with a cold shiver throughout the rest of his life. It always surprised him when he thought of it later that he did not sink under the load of despair. He knew that he was a fierce fighter, but that year had been enough to break the heart of a lion. "Since I survived that year," he always said, "I shall survive anything." Things Fall Apart_Chinua Achebe I heard someone say that when we are long gone, our great grandchildren will say of our time; Their world was suddenly stricken by a strange disease. It had no cure. Many fell under its unrelenting grip. When it had run its course, men clasped their hands, glad that they had survived. From the chocking confines of their homes they emerged, wearied by months of being hemmed in. They looked up and sighed, At least the sun was still there . But then, s ome picked up guns. A great battle broke out. No one could stop the war. Many were killed, much more than they had thought po...

There is a precious sliver of scripture that Christians like to quote on their WhatsApp and Instagram:  " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" But can they? To gauge ourselves, let’s see what was going through Paul's mind when he wrote that statement. The first hint is in the context of the passage. The text is ensconced in a portion of Paul's letter expressing gratitude to the Philippian church for past support even as he makes another appeal for future help (Philippians 4:10-19).  “I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do e...