Remembering Ravi: 10 Gems to Live By

A few days ago, my sister posted a hilarious WhatsApp status claiming that the litmus test for those I love is that I share Ravi with them. "Therefore", she cautioned, "if Prince hasn't told you about Ravi, then he probably doesn't love you that much." When I saw that, I paused for a chuckle and thought for a moment, "she's probably right." 

I was introduced to Dr Ravi Zacharias nearly a decade ago by my cousin who was then at KNUST. He was my plug for all the cool movies and music. But, on one fateful day, he offered me something unusual: a series of sermons and talks. I asked him who the speaker was and he said: "Listen to him. I copied the folder for you because I knew you would like it." 

I did and it changed my life forever. 

Ravi Zacharias is one of those people whom you discover and start wondering where you had been all your life. I have heard on multiple occasions how people express a fair admixture of excitement upon finding him and disappointment upon the late discovery.

I do not intend to write a piece on the life and impact of Ravi. It is quite an impossible task to capture his passion for apologetics, respect for the otherness of people and his fertility of thought in one blog post. What I seek to do with this post is to share 10 gems delivered by Ravi with you in the sincere hope that it will make you think as a believer and believe as a thinker.

The Essence of Dialogue: An expenditure of words without the income of ideas will lead to intellectual bankruptcy.

Respecting Others:  Even as you wrestle with the ideas of an opponent, you must keep the dignity of the opponent intact.

Perseverance: Beginning well is a momentary thing; finishing well is a lifelong thing. 

The Labour of Love: Love is hard work. It is the hardest work I know of, work from which you are never entitled to take a vacation.

Wanton Pleasure: Pleasure without God, without the sacred boundaries, will actually leave you emptier than before. And this is biblical truth, this is experiential truth. The loneliest people in the world are amongst the wealthiest and most famous who found no boundaries within which to live. 

On the Erosion of Ethics In Our Time:  When we talk politics, we moralize. When we talk about morality, we politicize.

The Drills of Divinity: Only God is able to humble us without humiliating us and to exalt us without flattering us.

Purpose: If God is the author of life, there must be a script.

Sharing the Gospel: If truth is not undergirded by love, it makes the possessor of that truth obnoxious and the truth repulsive.

The Truth: Truth by definition excludes.

If there are any profound Ravi quote(s) you deem worthy sharing, kindly do so in the comment section as we celebrate the gift God gave us in Ravi.