Man did not sign a consent form before arriving on earth. He did not negotiate the climate of his birth, the economy of his century, the religion of his parents, or the fragility of his bones. He simply appeared . As Jean-Paul Sartre would say, he finds himself “thrown” into existence—condemned to be free, yet not consulted about being. This is the primordial confusion: existence precedes permission. On the surface of the earth, life appears ordinary. Some find it sweet; others taste only bitterness; many sip from a strange cocktail of sweet-bitter paradox. But beneath this ordinary surface lurks a metaphysical tension: Can any human creature truly choose the state he desires – peaceful, eudemonic, triumphant – without interference from forces beyond his control? Is man truly sovereign over his condition? Or is he but a fragile reed bent by invisible winds? The Illusion of Measure Long before existentialism, Protagoras declared, “Man is the measure of all things: of the thing...
It is a common yet flawed assumption that children belong to their parents. Many, particularly in African societies, operate under the illusion that biological connection equals ownership. But let us pause for a moment and reflect – who among us can claim ownership of another’s soul? Who among us chose their own entry into this world? The truth is as old as time itself: we do not own our children; they are God’s, lent to us for a time, to be raised and nurtured, not possessed and manipulated. The Divine Custodianship of Parenthood Children are not commodities to be controlled, coerced, or commanded at will. They are gifts from the Almighty, entrusted into our care for a fleeting season. Psalm 127:3 reminds us, “Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” The language is clear: they are a heritage, not an acquisition. Parents are custodians, not owners. In Genesis, when God blessed humanity with the ability to multiply, He did not ...