Celebrate your citizenship and creation

Jyoti cherishes her citizenship and spends time to know the constitution, which confers on her equal rights and with rights come responsibilities. Just as Jesus taught, “do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7: 12), Jyoti is respectful to people of all faiths. As a citizen, she is free to choose whom to worship.
Another truth that guides Jyoti’s life is that God created all human beings equal. Men and women are created in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:27). Jyoti says it’s a double blessing being created equal by God and the Constitution granting equal rights; Jyoti is second to none. God favours no one. The Bible teaches, “for God so loved the world …” God loves the world He created, and Jyoti promotes peace and harmony among all people and serves the poor and needy. The followers of Christ Jesus are expected to live on this earth according to the values of the kingdom of God, which Jesus inaugurated when He came into this world. Jyoti celebrates when values reflected in the society are for the common good and grieve when they don’t. In all we do, we can seek “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly” with God (Micah 6:8).
No wonder Jesus told His disciples, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” (Matt 5:13). Salt preserves, seasons, flavours and purifies. Jesus also said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matt. 5:14). Light illuminates, reveals and dispels darkness. We truly become salt and light when we live the teachings of Jesus, worship the living God, have faith, hope, truth, love, and love all of God’s creation. Let’s be joyful citizens of our country, created equal, truly working for the flourishing of life of every human being even amidst challenging circumstances.