Ka Ipu o Lono shares weekly devotionals to provide spiritual enrichment to members of the Kamehameha Schools ‘ohana. For more inspiration, visit the KS “Our faith” website.

Heluhelu Baibala

He manaʻo o ke kahu

Growing up at Mokuaikaua Church as a keiki liʻiliʻi (small child) I witnessed countless actions of aloha towards people in need from our kūpuna. It was what we did as a church ʻohana. Often it would be the simplest acts of kindness from my elders that would catch my attention.

One of those faithful servants was Uncle Akoni Ako. He was a man of very few words, but his word was golden. My mākua would call upon him and his wife Aunty Mabel Pi for a deep time of pule to ask ke Akua for wisdom and revelation. Uncle Akoni was such a humble and hardworking man that whether he knew it or not, he mentored a lot of the youth with his no-nonsense work ethic and dependability. He was a true servant of God and others.

The Bible tells us that God the Father sent His only blessed son Jesus to serve and to save us and to be a light who would shine for us in the darkest times. The evidence of Jesus’ deep love for the Father was and continues to be Christ’s sacrificial servant leadership to all humankind.

Our own moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy) of Kamehameha is one of tremendous servant leadership, a tradition of deep caring for our people meant to lighten the load of those in need. Ke Aliʻi Pauahi, an ardent reader of the Baibala Hemolele (Holy Bible), lovingly applied Jesus’ teaching to her own context, when he said, “Whoever among you is the greatest should be the servant of the others.”

Our princess boldly led ministries to aid the poor and destitute who were distressed for food and clothing. These generous acts of compassion and grace were not done out of self-promotion, but as a sacred aliʻi, she directed her deeds of kindness towards the Hawaiian community with the spirit of E ʻOpu Aliʻi – to have the heart of a chief. Her crowning achievement as the promoter of social, educational, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being for her people was to create the Kamehameha Schools. Our Kamehameha Schools!

Existing together during a pandemic isn’t easy, but people before us have succeeded. How we choose to experience this global health challenge will define us as a generation. God’s word teaches us that patience produces character, and character produces hope, and that hope is directly empowered by God’s love for us and through us by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

So, let us become the generation that lifts each other up with patience and good character. Let us be the generation who will take the time to support loved ones in our homes, and people in our community with endless hope. It is by loving others that we are loving God with all our heart, our soul, our mind, and all of our strength, especially those in need. Let your light – the light of Jesus within you – shine brightly for others so that they too will give boundless and eternal praise to God who loves us first!

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