By Leo Sekoere
A while back I heard a punchline from a gospel rap song: “Life
is like a pair of dice. So, watch the ones you’re rolling with”. I know this
sounds a bit like overthinking but I wondered why the rapper would say that. The first
and reasonable answer I gave myself was that he was making reference to the
unpredictable nature of LIFE. Every time a person rolls a pair of dice they
have no idea which side it will land on, all they have is hope that they will
achieve a high roll. If life was so unpredictable why would he advise: “watch
the ones you’re rolling with’’? .What difference does that make if you still can’t
predict life?
What if I told you
that "watching the ones you're rolling with" has great effect on the numbers you roll? I’m serious! Ask people
who gamble, there is a whole regime of how they treat dice in order to control
the numbers they roll. This includes choosing the “right dice’’, forming a solid
bond with the dice, respecting it and keeping it away from ‘’negative energy”. Gamblers
usually talk to the dice and even chant before they roll. If you’ve watched dice
games in South African townships you might find the exclamation ‘’Op-op!”
familiar in this regard.
All this dice talk! What’s this rapper saying? Let me rather
tell you what I’m hearing. If you’re lyrically conscious you might have picked
up on the pun in “rolling”. It is colloquialism for “following, agreeing with or
sharing experience/experiment with. In biblical terms, this is called “being
yoked”. This term is derived from the ancient act of pairing oxen or any beasts
of burden together by a wooden implement, in order for them to share a heavy
load. For yoking to work, the two have to be of the same breed, height,
strength etc. (you can google that one for more information). In conclusion:
LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE, SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO AGREE WITH THE RIGHT
PEOPLE.
Let us spiritualize it ‘cause that’s what we came here for. There
are many biblical accounts of people who were destroyed for rolling
with the wrong people. They plotted their own demise when they allowed the wrong people to influence them i.e Samson and Delilah, Adam and Eve, the Man of God in
1Kings 13, Israel and Baal of Peor (Numbers 25:3)…the list is too long. Paul
understood this so well that he also advices the Corinthians not to be yoked
with unbelievers.
2 Corinthians 6:14 King
James Version (KJV)
14 Be ye not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
A lot of people think this means that we must hate people
that are different from us but they’ve lost it. The Apostle uses the term “Yoking”
to talk about partnership and unity in mind, body and soul. He is talking about
a relationship of counsel and weight sharing. If a strong ox is yoked with a shepherd
dog, the load they are pulling will definitely destroy both of them. If you don’t
believe this, try carrying a heavy load with a two year old.
1 Kings 12 also shows us that it is important to “watch the
ones you’re rolling with”. Here we meet Rehoboam, a new king who was met with a
simple request. King Solomon had just died and his people requested a
lightening of the hard service in exchange for loyal servitude. That’s cue for
a wise king to give consent BUT verse 5 says that Rehoboam wanted to think
about it first. He sought counsel from old men who recommended that he shows
kindness to the people and grant their request as this would indemnify eternal
servitude. In verse 8 the king does the unthinkable, he disregards the guidance
of the old men and turns to his peers for guidance *are you kidding me, Rehoboam,
man?*. These young men instruct him to do the total opposite…’long story short;
this decision culminates in a splitting of the Kingdom into two.
Rehoboam was rolling with people who were in
full contrast to the character he needed to be, as a leader of God’s people. I know
a lot of people who are modern day Rehoboams. God has given you a task to do
but you cannot rise to the occasion because you have surrounded yourself with
people who are unequal yokes. As a result you feel the weight on your shoulders
more heavier than it would be if you were around people who have the same
interests, I’m talking kingdom interests. I know a lot of people who should be
far spiritually, people with dormant spiritual gifts, people who have been
going to church for years without any notable change in their spiritual growth.
Such people settle for religion because relationship with God becomes utopian
in their minds.
Listen here, God wants you to know Him. He wants
relationship with you. He wants to make His dwelling among you and be YOUR GOD.
There’s a call right now in the spirit! God is calling his children out from poisonous
relationships, this is a call of separation and dedication unto the Lord.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18
King James Version (KJV)
17 Wherefore come out
from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty
