As Liberians enter another crucial year, a year before critical general and presidential elections, the President of the Republic, George Manneh Weah, is imploring citizens not to associate with those he called negative forces but to always think positively about themselves and the nation.
Speaking to a well-parked congregation at his Jlaleh Forkay Klon Family Fellowship Church during a watchnight for the New Year on December 31, 2021, the Liberian leader called on citizens to work hard for their own country and desist from peddling falsehood and negativity.
Dressed in a black gown at the church service, President Weah did not speak from a specific text, but held the audience spellbound on his practical interpretation and experience of faith, belief and trust in God and the power of the tongue.
He told the congregation to pray for a prosperous new year and think positively and confess with their tongues the good things they want to achieve during the year.
“Power lies in the tongue,” the President advised. “So, anything you want to say about yourself, say it to yourself first and be positive. When you wake up in the morning, because you don’t know what is ahead of you, put God in control of things always.”
He drew the attention of the church to a scenario of how some people who did not know anybody in society made use of their positive attitude, going out, and presenting themselves well and how such an exhibition of good behaviors led them to finding a job or other opportunities.
The President called on those who are fortunate in life to share with the less fortunate.
“When you get the job, you have to be humble, diligent and respectful,” he added. “You don’t have to align yourself with negative people in this 2022.”
He President cited a number of Biblical stories replete with examples of good people, who used their privileged positions and power to help ordinary people.
According to him, many misconstrued the greener pasture that God found for King David but often forget to take note of how he was good to others despite the challenges experienced from his youth.
“With all the temptations and what they said about David, overlooking and demoting him; saying all kinds of things about him, stepping on him, he still lived in greener pasture,” the President divulged. “David believed in God so he lived his life without being angry. So, if you are angry, you cannot plan. If you are angry, it takes you nowhere. Anger is not good. So if you are leaving from 2021 and bringing that behavior in 2022, trust me, it will be difficult for you”.
President Weah admonished citizens not to enter 2022 with bitterness and hatred in their hearts.
He added: “Leave the enemies’ plans against you with God. It is not your job to fight. The battle is God’s. He is prepared in every battle, for he knows and sees every hurt, every wrong, every individual has that undermines growth. It’s God that will set you free; you will set yourself free.”
The President also cited the Biblical story of Joseph, speaking more about the need for strong faith, perseverance, hope, destiny and trust in God.
He recounted how Joseph was so hated by his brothers that they sold him into slavery and later got incarcerated in Egypt but he did not get angry about his predicament but was composed and remained faithful to God.
The President recalled that that others would have snubbed the man who was approached to interpret dreams because they were all prisoners and he would have said he was more concerned about his own prison condition and didn’t want to be involved with others.
The President narrated: “But David was in prison already and nothing would have changed. The only thing that could be changed was when you have good behavior. And he had good behavior in prison. When the young man came to interpret his dream. He said okay, can you sit down and just explain your dream. He was able to explain the dream back and that young man left prison. So if you are angry, you don’t know how to make a decision. When the man left prison, when he went out of prison, the man would have been angry to say. ‘but I was here why they brought the man here’. But guess what he interpreted the people’s dream. When he interpreted the people’s dream, they recommended him. So from prison Joseph he became prime minister.”
President Weah elaborated on Joseph’s story to demonstrate how, according to him, God works in a mysterious way.
“The man whose dream was interpreted told the King when he had the dream that there is a boy in prison who could interpret dreams very well. A prisoner became a prime minister. So, this means when your enemies trying to push you down, God will make a way; so when you are doing anything, continue to believe in God and that is how God works in a mysterious way.”
The President also repeatedly spoke against exhibiting anger when confronted with situations and their reactions have led them into other problems in life; stating that when one lives in peace, great decisions can be made and brought him his own story, which he said, was a practical example to offer.
He emphasized the power of the tongue which was the central theme of his message.
He recounted: “A George Weah story, if he was a lazy man it was not possible; it would not happen but God made it happen for the good. Who are you to tell me it is not possible because they said power lies in the tongue; not their tongues, you see when people come and say you can’t not make it, I say I will make it. Who are you to tell me I will not succeed.”
He said a lot of things happen to some people because they allow those things to happen since they joined others who want to bring them down and they accepted it.
President Weah indicated how negative thoughts exhibited in some families made some parents elevate the destiny of their children above others, claiming that theirs will come up to be more useful than others and wonder how they will do such when they deny other people’s children opportunities to succeed.
He then challenged such parents to avail equal opportunities to the other children and all allow competition to know if truly the children will be the best.
The President drew a jubilant response from the congregation when he told government officials that the various communities they live in should be their concern this year, and that they should lend a helping hand to their neighbors.
He challenged government officials that if they want to see examples of the impact of government officials in the community to visit the Rehab community which he said has been contributing to its welfare since he became a senator for Montserrado County.
He ended his message by urging the congregants to change their attitudes in the New Year if they want to succeed.
“So in 2022, you have to be a new wine in a new bottle and a new label, and not old wine in new bottle. Because people will be anxious to know how that wine taste. But if you are a new wine in the old bottle, people will say that is the same wine there.”
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