THE GOD LIFE… EXCELLENCE!
For one month, I enjoyed constant power supply and I was overwhelmed with such a level of comfort without the surrounding noise of generators but a day came for me to return to my location where incessant power failure welcomed and entertained me like cheerleaders do when motivating a team to win a match. I could not complain because at present, there are no laid down infrastructures providing constant power so I carefully adjusted-though praying for a change. One morning, it rang a bell of warning in my mind; “So does man overly settle for the crumbs, the meager, and the “I can manage” syndrome, even the “anything goes attitude”. I said “I adjusted” because I have not been used 24-hour electricity. I have countless times heard people say;”Wetin we go do, “I hate Nigeria”, things can never change and “we can never have a good utility system like most developed countries” So you hear captions like; “When the desire is not available, the available becomes the desirable…” That’s foul, cheap talk!
When you read histories of most nations like China, America, Britain and South Africa, you realize that it took men and women like us to consciously and I mean consciously build the nation. They also didn’t evolve into wealth and sanity; they fought for it and disciplined themselves to have a proper, orderly nation. Do you know that simple “we can do” things like using the dustbin, refuse dumb is not inculcated in the average Nigerian? People throw bottles, food wraps and refuse on the road for the “Government” to take care of forgetting we make up the society we live in, a percentage of people break traffic rules and bribe their way through, we squeeze and rough handle the precious naira note and lots more.
Lest I digress from what I intend to talk about, I have an undying passion for Nigeria which means that I will not adjust to incessant power failure and a damaging economy, I will not settle for less than the good life in my nations state. I strongly believe that if each person wakes up to the situation in our country, we will -in our various locations-change our country and make it as lush as the Western world. I can hear my reader say; “which year will Nigeria ever change? How will it happen?” Some men told me some days ago that Nigeria will never change in our time and that it would take another exaggerated 50 to 100 years to be like other well established nations. And I will say like the average Nigerian when holding an argument; “Na lie!” Some believe you need to live outside the shores of Nigeria to make it (please do not get me wrong incase that’s where God wants you to reside) while others say, “Go outside Naija, make money, come back and live large” (is living large all a man can accomplish in life?) I am eagerly expectant that change has come and in just a little time we will say, “Nigeria shall flourish again, Nigeria has flourished again.” I will not sit back and fold my hands but in my community and wherever I find myself, I will instill “change” even if my impact goes unnoticeable for now and I will ensure it works for the good of our dear nation.
However, any man or society that settles for less can not accomplish, dominate or reign over a territory. You will realize that most great nation builders like William Wilberforce-among others-(who for twenty years fought for the abolition of slave trade) and other great Bible heroes like Abraham dared to see and think beyond the imaginations of men. Also study a man scared of putting his brains to work, and afraid of launching out, such a man cowers for life in fear. Study the hen, the hen is one animal in the bird kingdom that can not fly above my grandmother’s little hut (pardon me).He was never created with the ability to fly like every other bird not to talk of flying heights like the eagle. So he remains soil bound.
Do you know that the aero plane was patterned after the eagle? That little creature- the eagle- can fly as high as 600,000 feet above sea level. But the moment that sky bound bird (the eagle) comes to live among the hen and chicks, he forgets the use of his wings and learns to scratch the soil; he adopts their principles of life and learns the language of the latter. So does man pattern his life when he forgets his purpose. He however subjects himself to scratching the soil for livelihood and thinks less of himself.
The simplest most powerful weapon in life is the power of influence. Just like the hen influences an eagle that lives with him for a while so man is influenced by another man. Man is one creature that easily apes another man, adopts another’s identity and lifestyle and fights to speak, dress and act like another person. Check out men with mentors!
It is so easy to be influenced by the company- either in the negative or positive- we keep. The Bible says in Psalm One; “blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord…. So hanging out with some kind of people will either make you or mar your mentality?
Lot (Abraham’s cousin) is one great man that failed to live out his God given destiny. For the fact that he made the first mistake of choosing Sodom does not mean he was doomed for life. God for two reasons showed Lot mercy for Abraham’s sake (a friend of God) and for being the only righteous man in that town. Contrary to God’s plan-in Genesis 19-, Lot’s timidity kept him from taking advantage of what was laid before him. His refusal to run to the mountain and his inability to see the mountain as a means to his redemption -after losing all in Sodom- caused him to choose the “little town”. He found safety there and I bet you don’t want to end up like Lot because in Genesis 19, Lot and his two daughters sinned against God, not only did the sin, Psalm 83:4-8, they have become enemies of God and Israel till date. Can you imagine such sheer timidity?
But hey, don’t be too quick to judge my man, Lot because many a people including me have uncountable times fallen victims to the “small place” and a lot more do not believe the excellent life freely given to all men because we are too used to the cage. We are too tied down by poverty, the impossible syndrome, “I am ok like this and let me manage skills; the “little me” ability- just name them. If not why would some always profess smallness about themselves and their nation?
I have also identified my own “small attitudes” which I pamper, magnify and give precedence over the spirit of excellence though I fight them daily. I know by the word of God that from creation, He said; “Let’s make man in our image and likeness. And let them rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the tame animals, over all the earth, and over all…God blessed them and said, “Have many children and grow in number. Fill the earth and be its master. Rule over…EVERY living thing that moves on the earth. What an awesome mandate and position given to all that will tap into this existence. So God rejoices in our excellence though he abhors extravagance and covetousness, He has always had it in mind that man should enjoy the fullness of life in Christ Jesus, He has given us all that pertains to life and godliness and He has set before us an open door to choose life and not death. What an awesome God!!!
Do you believe that at everyone’s doorstep lies a package that reads “exceeding abundant life” which we can not comprehend? Do you believe it wasn’t stored up for a few or for the clergy? Neither did God create favorites as he takes no delight in such? Do you believe that as God has laid down promises he means it when he says, “In blessing will I bless you, and I will bless your fields and make you fat with oil and wine (abundance of good crops). He says, “No good thing will I withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Oh, so why are we still eating the crumbs? I ask myself. Do you believe that God was not kidding when he gave man the freedom to replenish, rule (not domineer people and turn men under your authority to “boy-boy”) dominate and even multiply. Can you just imagine this God giving man the “audacity”-the right- to name animals and those names stuck to date? Com’on friends who are we that God in his magnificence are so mindful of?
Do you believe that with the fall of man, God in His love still sought to redeem man so that we can still live as kings and Priest, we died with Him the day we received him as Lord and Savior and we have been raised with Him in glory and he has made us to seat with him in the heavens (Ephesians 2:4- 7). This he did for those in Christ Jesus.
What men ought us to be? Men, if you have been like me once saddled in fear and intimidation, rise up and take your place. Break free and Say unto those mountains- the mountains facing your God given life-“Behold your God”. Work on your mind and deliberately undo old myths, address the nagging snares to your success which may even be YOU! Strip your mind of every evil manmade ideology and every laid down systems that either bug you to lookdown on your abilities or work contrary to your well being.
Babes, change company if you need to, pair not with the “wanna-bes” (life goes beyond trying to be like the Madonna, Beyonce and Tyra Banks of this world, don’t be clothed in another man’s identity),but surround yourself with women that smell, sniff and dig God, spend time knowing God, get intimate with God, proclaim His promises for you life -keep saying it till you believe it- reduce pumping your mind with all sorts of movies and media reports (which doesn’t mean you should only have knowledge of fashion and style), groom yourself with world history and listen to constructive news not the ones that keep you on edge and make you fear the economic meltdown and Gaza strip like its at your doorstep waiting to bomb your household. Read less unproductive books and “doom fictions”, stuff your mind with truth. Proverbs says, “Buy truth and sell it not…so voraciously devour God’s word and principles. Confess and speak right, Speak faith, know God for yourself and stop waiting for the “man of God”. Don’t live no longer in the squalors, count in six digits when you have three at hand.
Possess the Land for it belongs to YOU! If you have been battered all your life, tell God to give you a brand new mentality and an attitude that life could be a million times better than you have known it to be. Rediscover who you were born to be and live the God kind of life. Let me reiterate here, Remember he said in Creation “lets make man in our image and likeness…so that explains to me that we ought to be Him? Whoa, that will blow our theology a little huh? Yes! For Psalms says, “Ye are gods…Hmn!!
Please don’t be too hard on yourself; life is a marathon not a sprint so take one day at a time. It is a continual process to change our mindset-our culture has battered us to believe in a bunch of lies which must give way for truth- to who we were created to. Determine in your heart like Daniel to be an excellent man (or woman). Excellence is for all who eagerly want to live an excellent life. Groan for the change and though it tarries, just wait, it will come to pass. I believe we CAN like Obama would say,” YES WE CAN” and has actually lived out his dream. Let’s walk towards it.
I live you with this scripture that blesses my heart, “The blessings of the Lord the make rich and add no sorrows to it”. If anything causes you constant sorrow, give it up and walk in God’s rich promises for your life. See you at the top dear one!!!
