One area of the world where acts in history have left us with troubles today is in the Pakistan/Afghanistan region. The British Empire extended to this geographic region, brought some good but also brought trouble and committed crimes, and then badly redrew national boundries and left. The foolish handling by the British government of the day, and subsequent world governments, has contributed to some of the world’s problems today.
One place where the British have indelibly left their mark is in Faisalabad, in the Punjab region of Pakistan. The area had been sparsely populated but then in 1880 a young colonial officer, Captain Poham Young, proposed a new town. The design of the city allowed for 8 roads leading out from a central clock tower and these roads opened up into 8 bazaars. The artificial canals brought irrigation to the surrounding areas for living and farming.
What inspired the design? Well, for a while the Union Jack, the British flag, had been growing in popularity. The union of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland had been proposed and fought over for over a 1000 years, but finally it had happened and though unpopular ot begin with it had eventually gained ground. By the 1880’s flag waving was a national past time, poems, books, songs and plays were focusing on the Union Jack.
When Captain Poham Young began to design this city he took the Union Jack as his template and when you look at satellite imagery even today the imprint of the Union Jack is easily seen.
Here is my question for you. What will out live you? What type of individuals are you training your children to be? What values are you imprinting on them? What eternal impact will you have? Are you laying up treasures in Heaven or living it up here on earth where eventually your stuff will be stolen or destroyed by moth and rust?
It is likely that for as long as this earth survives the city of Faisalabad will resemble from above the Union Jack. What does your life look like from God’s perspective? What will you leave behind?
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