Reflections (3) - “It can't happen to me! The ‘me’ in me is Special.”

In Nigeria, when we build a house, we don't add a fire escape to the plan. Though people lose their lives everyday due to fire outbreaks and their inability to escape from burning houses, and some are afraid of the added cost, others reason, 'It can't happen to me', so emergency plans are not made. Also in Nigeria, many who can afford to, don’t save for personal and family emergencies. Though lives are lost because of inability of family members to pay for needed healthcare and other unfortunate events, many reason, ‘It can’t happen to me.’ Thus a family head will not save for tomorrow. A man has a well-paying job or business. The money flows like water. Will he save for his family? Will he open a trust fund to care for his kids when they are of age? Will he write a will that will ensure his family is well catered for even when he’s gone? Or will he act like the typical Nigerian that will go on to marry more wives and have more children, squandering his money on the pleasures life can offer, all the while telling himself, ‘The money will keep coming, nothing bad can happen to me’ ? A man knows about the dangers of HIV, STIs, unwanted pregnancies and the like, but he sleeps around with no protection. Even though he’s seen others suffer as a result, he’s confident, ‘It can’t happen to me!’ A man has exams. He puts in his little bit. Even though many have failed that exam before, he reasons, “I can’t fail. Failure is not my portion. The ‘me’ in me is special”. All these scenarios beg the following questions: those of us alive today, are we more special than those who didn’t make it to this day? Are we better, more righteous or more faithful than those who’ve been victims of the unfortunate events of yesterday? What’s the basis of the ‘me-too-special’ attitude? If these thoughts or actions are based on faith or religious beliefs, why don’t we act like others who practice same faith abroad? Or is it that our brand of faith is special too?

Let me start by saying that as humans created in the image of God, intelligent beings with the free will of choice, we are special. Every human being is unique and our bodies give eloquent testimony to our Creator. In the same light, in His wisdom, God created us in such a way that we are dependent on other things and other people. We depend on the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and we depend on others to provide our needs because we can’t do it all. Imagine how the world would be like if we don’t depend on anything or anyone to survive. Thus, the fact that we are dependent makes us amenable to virtuous qualities like love, humility, honesty, wisdom, etc. In a sense, our limitations bestow on us endearing qualities. Yes we are special but also in a loving way we are limited. One of God’s most endearing qualities is wisdom. We who are created in his image have the capacity to cultivate and to demonstrate wisdom. The Online Free Dictionary by Farlex defines wisdom, amongst other things, as “1. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight. 2. Common sense; good judgment. 3. a. The sum of learning through the ages; knowledge. b. Wise teachings of the ancient sages. 4. A wise outlook, plan, or course of action.” My emphasis is on point 4, wisdom entails having a wise outlook, plan or course of action, that is, wisdom involves making good plans, planning for the future, preparing for emergencies and uncertainties and things of that sort. The scriptures states in Ecclesiastes. 9: 11,12 (NIV, 1984) , “I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.” This is the fate of everyman, good or bad. While a good conduct may help prolong our lives and keep us safe from trouble, ultimately it’s not up to us to decide our longevity or the final outcome of our endeavours. Though we can’t help the inevitability of some events in our lives, there is something we all can do: while hoping for the best, prepare for the worst. Prepare for tomorrow. Save for tomorrow. Make plans for tomorrow. Remember, the scriptures says in Prov. 27:11, “Be wise, my son”.

Now, I know many would challenge my earlier sentiments with other scriptures or reasoning. 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV 1984) states, ‘You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.’ Note that these people are special to God; in relation to God they are unique. Yet they suffer the same fate as man, so from man’s point of view, they are no different. I’m not going into whom God chooses today. But let’s take a look at those whom God chose in the past. Apostle Peter was chosen but while he was alive on earth, he suffered the ills that befell other men and he was killed. Apostle Paul was chosen but he suffered too and was also killed. We know of people who maintain a righteous course of life and still became victims of bitter occurrences. Remember Job. Don’t get me wrong, their lives were filled with spiritual riches and meaning, but in the eyes of men, their fate was no different. Yes, granted, your beliefs and worship can fill your life with love and meaning but that does not except you from the ills of this life. To God we may be special yet in this life we are exposed and suffer the misfortunes of living. It’s not a matter of if but when. So we prepare, so we plan and so we save for the raining day.

Don’t mistake spiritual riches and fulfillment with material riches or physical possessions. One who has a close relationship with his maker is rich toward God. It matters not whether he is rich or poor, famous or unknown, highly educated or not. There are certain fates that befall all men: we get sick, we grow old, we get exhausted, accidents happen, we fall victim to evil plots, and we die. This happens whether we are righteous or unrighteous, good or bad, faithful or unfaithful. Yes, there are things we can control and there things that are completely out of our control. To humbly acknowledge these realities and to be wise in our ways is not lack of faith; it’s an act of wisdom. True faith is not gullible. Don’t mistake a well balanced faith as espoused in the bible with the positive psychology of men. Our faith in God will not necessarily shield us from bodily harm but it will surely help us cope with what life throws our way and it will help us look at the bigger picture: there is a reward for an unyielding faith. 1. Cor. 10:13 (English Standard Version, 2001) states, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Note that the scriptures did not say that one who’s faithful to God is free of trials or temptations but God will help us endure it. And God has said, “Be wise, my son”.

In the nation of Israel, men were punished who endangered the lives of others. When you build a roof, you put a parapet. You don’t say, ‘It can’t happen to me’. When you don’t save and prepare for uncertainties and emergencies and thus risk the lives of those depending on you, please remember 1 Tim. 5:8(NIV), “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever”. When you don’t prepare for your exams and expect to pass anyway because you are special, remember Prov. 6:6, “Go to the ant, consider its ways and be wise!” When you choose to be reckless, feeling that no harm can come your way, remember, “Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty.”- Prov. 22:3 (New World Translation)

Very often when bad things happen to us, we say, ‘Why me?’ It’s a genuinely innocent question asked in the sheer moment of grief. But think carefully about it. Bad things happen to people everyday. When we hear them, we don’t give it much thought, rightly so because we don’t want to get weighed down with sadness; bad things happen too often. Nevertheless, let’s face it. When you say, ‘Why me?’ are you not actually saying, ‘Why not him or her? Why not Mr. A? Why not Mrs. B? ’ Maybe, the best question is, ‘Why? Why did it happen in the first place? Why did it happen at all?’ In the scriptures, God answers the why. For us individuals, He provides comfort and hope. I pray may we never get to ask the sad bitter questions. When we ever get to ask, may He provide the answers!

Finally, don’t be discouraged that bad things happen to good people. Remember for every good deed there is a reward and no bad deed will forever go unpunished. To borrow the words of Dele Giwa, "No evil deed can go unpunished. Any evil done by man to man will be redressed, if not now, then certainly later, if not by man, then certainly by God, for the victory of evil over good can only be temporary”. The mills of justice grind slowly but surely. Be good, but don’t sit around for a reward; be humble, don’t brag about your good. “So YOU, also, when YOU have done all the things assigned to YOU, say, ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves. What we have done is what we ought to have done.’”- Luke 17:10 (New World Translation). Remember, life is a gift. We did not earn it. Ultimately, it’s not up to us to declare ourselves, ‘untouchables’. It’s by Jehovah’ Grace we have life and it is by His Grace we shall keep living.

To Jehovah be the Glory!

Reflections (2) – A man who does not get angry!

Have you seen a man who never ever gets angry at anything? It could mean one of four things:
1. He is foolish.
2. He is mentally challenged.
3. He is a con man. One who has something to hide!
4. He is evil in disguise: pure undiluted evil.
Make no mistake. He is not a good person. A good person will be angry in the face of injustice, oppression, corruption, lies, deceit and other vices. Who is a good person that won't be furious when cheated on by his/her spouse? What kind of person won't get cross in light of a betrayal, heartbreak, disappointment, rejection, and things of this sort? The moment you don't get indignant in the face of the ills of this life, it could mean one of the four things above. Don't get me wrong:
Psalms 4:4: 'Be agitated but do not sin.'
Eccl. 7:7: ' For mere oppression may make a wise one act crazy'.
Eph. 4:24: 'Be wrathful, and yet do not sin; let the sun not set with you in a provoked state'.
It's called righteous indignation.
Be leery of those who always agree with you, never find any fault with what you do, and too cool to a fault. Don't keep a close friend who would always agree with you. I get scared in a relationship when everything is good and smooth. Too good to be true is a truism. Except one who is mentally challenged, every man expresses his anger one way or the other. The man who always keep his anger concealed in the sight of others will surely seek other means to express it and those means are often more deadly. That's the kind of man who doesn't get angry when he finds his spouse cheating on him only for the spouse and the lover to turn up dead.
Please, when you're truly offended, express your anger in a dignified manner. Pent-up anger is deadly. On the other hand, be worried when you stop being angry at the ills of this world. It could mean you are now cool with those ills.

It’s reasonable to argue that it’s wrong to be the irritable guy who is always vexed on every issue. It’s also right to keep your cool in the face of some challenging circumstances in order to maintain peace and order. Yet, there is a balance that needs to be struck. Neither extreme is good: being irritable or being overly passive. No one likes an irritable man; we don’t feel comfortable around such a person. Yet, it’s a good thing when other people know that you are not happy about certain things. Let it show in your emotions that you are not OK with certain developments. You caught a man stealing your properties in broad-day light. You are not going to smile at him. You are not going to quietly dismiss it. You should express the appropriate emotion that will send him the right message: ‘That is my property, thief’! One of such emotions is anger. Justifiable and responsible anger!

Jokes in Pidgin English (34) Likita (doctor) self!

He get one doctor wen work for North for some years. For North, he notice say women dey quick dey born well well. You go see 20 year old with belle (pregnancy), ask am, ‘Is this your first pregnancy?’ She go smile; for her mind she dey reason: ‘Likita self! Which level? Why you dey underrate me? For my age?’ Then she go talk say that na the 3^rd or 5^th as the case may be.

This doctor come go South. He come dey see a 20-year pregnant lady. Doctor ask: ‘This pregnancy is number what?’ The lady burst laugh: ‘hahahahahahahaha… Doctor doctor, ask wetin dey your mind. Which kind question be that? For my age I look like person wen suppose carry belle? Wen my mates dey go school, dey hustle. If nor be Ekwe with him badluck when put me for this one wen I dey so. Instead of you to ask me whether I go keep or I nor go keep am? You go fit help me remove am?’

Jokes in Pidgin English (33) – Withhold and See!

Funny things wen man dey see! Long ago, i get one good friend wen dey visit me wella. This guy don finish sch; he still dey plan the way forward. Every time wen he visit, if him wan waka, i go give am small change to hold him side, make e nor lost. Anytime i give this guy money he go say, 'Bros, you don start again. I nor dey like say anytime i come here, you must give me something.' Every time i go beg the guy to collect because i reason say he nor get work. Na so the guy dey do like say i dey use my hard-earned money dey embarass am. So one day, i come decide say next time this guy show, i nor go give am kobo. So, wen the guy show, we gist, watch film, eat wella. So wen the guy wan go, i escort am small, say bye-bye, i nor give am anything. O boy, many months don pass, i nor see this guy again. I call am for phone, 'Guy, how far na? I nor see you again. You don forget me?' The guy reply, 'Bros, i dey very busy these days, i nor dey get chance. You know say your place far well well.' Till now, i nor see the guy breaklight. The thing dey pain me. Small test wen i give this guy, he fall break leg. But this strategy dey work o. If you get friend wen na only 'come chop, come drink, come take' e sabi, try this my test. I dey call am, 'Withhold and see'.

Reflections – The Last two standing: Honesty and Humility!

 

Sometimes, all we really have left is our honesty and humility. We are all imperfect. Everyone make mistakes. We cannot guarantee anyone that we won't make mistakes but we can guarantee all that we have the capacity to be honest and humble enough to admit our mistakes. When we err as a husband, wife, child, father, mother, brother, sister, friend or colleague, all we really have left is the honesty and humility to admit our error. When we lose all our possessions, when all our credentials no longer matter, when we lose the beauty and physique of youthfulness, even when we lose a good name or reputation, yes, even at that point we still have the virtue of honesty and humility.

 

Don't look for the perfect friend or person because there ain't. Look for the honest and humble one; the one who can own up to his mistake instead of lying to very your face. When we fail in our exams, trials, temptations, personal endeavours, all we have left is our honesty and our humility to seek for help. We humbly and honestly admit our wrong to God in prayer; for God values honesty and humility. Our friends and loved ones will always cherish our honesty and humility whether they admit it or not. We can't assure anyone that we would always be above board and that we would always remain unassailable in every imaginable way. What we can assure those close to us and others involved in our dealings is the tested and trusted virtues of honesty and humility.

We may not have beauty or intelligence or wealth or fame, but we all have the ability to be humble and honest. It's a choice we can all make. When a man makes a mistake or errs in his way, that maybe unavoidable and even unwitting; but if he lies about it, that is not a mistake. That’s a choice. The greatest of evils are dishonesty (lying) and pride. Those are the things that have and would destroy this world. Make no mistake, there is nothing pride & lies will get you that humility and honesty won't, even better. Some think they can only get what they want by lying. Truth they say, is bitter. While some get away with lies and succeed in what they do, such ones will know no peace of mind. What lies will get you; the truth will get you more. What matters is the way you put the truth: is it with humility or pride? Ultimately, the truth will always win when paired with humility. Remember, even when we lose all we have, we still have honesty and humility. If we lose them, we are finished and done. The two go together. You can't display genuine honesty without humility just as you can't stay humble when you're dishonest. Safeguard your honesty and be humble because when the chips are down that may be our saving grace.

Heb. 13:18: ' Carry on prayer for us, for we trust we have an honest conscience, as we wish to conduct ourselves honestly in all things.'
Prov. 18:12: 'Before a crash the heart of man is lofty, and before glory there is humility.'
Prov. 30:7, 8: 'Two things i have asked of you. Do not withhold them from me before I die. Untruth and the lying word put far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Let me devour the food prescribed for me'
Prov 6:16, 17: 'There are six things that Jehovah hate; yes seven are things detestable to his soul: lofty eyes [pride], a false tongue [dishonesty]....'

When is the right time to say, 'I'm broke'?

‘I’m Broke!’

We often hear people say, ‘I’m broke’ when they have no money. The issue is: when is the right time to say, ‘I’m broke?’ Before I give the different scenarios where people say, ‘I’m broke,’ let’s find out the dictionary meaning of the word ‘broke’. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (7th Edition) defines the word broke as ‘having no money.’ Now:

Scenario 1: I’m broke. I meant I have no money at all. No money in the house. No money on me. No money in the bank. My bank account has reached its nadir (i.e. zero, no ‘chin chin’); account is reading: ‘danger’ (red).

Scenario 2: I’m broke. I meant I have no money on me or in the house but my account is loaded. Just that I don’t want to touch or spend the money in the account. It’s my savings. That is to say, ‘I’m broke’ but I have 1 million in my account. (Hope u understand, na example I give o, nor be reality; to avoid stories that touch.)

Scenario 3: I’m broke. I meant I have no money in hand. I have money in a fixed deposit account and I can’t touch it even if I want to.

Scenario 4: I’m broke. I have no money on me, that is no money in my wallet or pocket or bag but I have some dollars stashed somewhere in the house (under the bed, under the house, etc) for insurance or emergencies.

Scenario 5: I’m broke. It does not mean I don’t have money to use. Just that I've reached my baseline or I’m approaching my baseline. My baseline may be 5K or 10K or 20K or 100K or 1 million or above.

Scenario 6: I’m broke. I have money to spend but I don’t have any money to share. Let’s say a friend asked you for money and you say, ‘I’m broke,’ it simply means that you have money for your own personal needs but none to give out.

Scenario 7: I’m broke. I have some money for my personal needs but no money to ‘groove’. No money for ‘jolly-jolly.’ No money to paint the town red. No money to take friends out.

There may be others. But the question is: from your heart of heart, in which of the above scenarios could we truly say ‘I’m broke?’ A penny for your thought, please!

I posed this question on Facebook some months back. Here are the responses are I got:

K.O I seriously think the first scenario! if one is broke, it truly means no money anywhere at all. my own opinion sha!

G. P I agree wt Kay.Shd b d rt thng, but most times we refer t Scns 5-7, esp wen som1 nids our help fnancialy or wen peopl r around. Pretenc, Pity or both. Am also guilty.....'wink'. 'Bankrupt'.....

E. R 4rm my hrt of hrt,scenario 1 is more apt as it justifies d true meaning of bein broke...my opinion anyway.

Is it proper/right to say, 'Come and eat (Come join me at the table) if you don't mean it?

Funny – ‘Come chop’! ‘Come and eat’!

This issue has brought heated arguments between me and my friends back then in school. The issue is: when you are about to eat and you ask the people around you, ‘Come and eat,’ is it out of formality or do you really mean it? There are different schools of thought:

1) It’s mere formality just like when say, ‘Good morning’
2) It’s cultural. It is said that in some cultures, it’s impolite to eat your food without inviting the people around you.
3) It’s hypocritical or insincere to invite someone to join you at the table when you don’t really mean it. You should invite people only when you mean it, because, what if the person(s) decides to join you when in actual fact you don’t want them to. Won't that amount to telling a lie?
4) It’s greedy not to invite people around you to join you at the table.
5) It’s a sign of generosity and kindness to invite those around you to join you even when the food is too small to share.
6) It’s the nature of some who do not like to eat alone. I know a friend who said he does not like to eat alone, so whenever other people are around, he sincerely invites them to join him. He prefers eating with others.

What school of thought are you? Is it one of the above, some of the above, all of the above, or none of the above? This na B.Sc question o. Allow me relate one story:
It happened in UNIBEN years ago. One boy in the boys’ hostel was so hungry and it seemed he had no money on him. So he decided to visit a female friend in the girls’ hostel. When he got there his friend was not around but he met the room-mate. At first he was disappointed. But then he noticed the room-mate was about to eat. This guy thanked his stars for being so fortunate. This guy then offered to wait for his friend who was away. The lady in the room, after serving herself to eat, invited this guy to eat out of mere formality. She thought the guy was one of those guys who play ‘the Big Boy’ even when they are hungry. To her great surprise, this guy not only accepted, he positioned himself to join in the meal. This guy ate and ate and ate. ‘Hunger na bad thing ooo’. The guy threw courtesy and decency to the wind; he ate until he was filled. The girl confessed to her friends, ‘See me, see wahala! I invited this guy out of mere courtesy o. This guy come finish my food.’ So, here lies the question: Was it the right thing to do, inviting the guy to join her when she had no intention of sharing her meal? What do you think is the right thing to do: to invite or not to invite? ‘Come chop, na bad thing?’

I posed the above questions to my Facebook friends sometime ago. Here's a summary of their responses:

S.A -  I don't invite when I know I'm not ready to share. period

P.A - Feel @ home nor mean say mk you break Tv....if i call u come chop nor 

mean say make u finish my food u go use ur mind

M.O - I only invite wen I want to cos I wouldn't want to share "bad-bellely"but cheerfully

J.O - But seriously me no sabi form sha, if i want u to come & join me i'll call u. But if i don't want u to, i'll wait until u go b4 bringing out d food. No be by force.

Z.E.O - But,it's a nice thing eating wit ur friends. Infact, it makes me eat more.

G.P - If I invite u, I sincerely want u to eat wt me. If d fud is small, I'l kip it till u're gon n get somthng else 4 u.