There are moments that shaped destinies! If you have ever heard of a saying that: delay can be dangerous? You will understand what I am talking about. The impact of one minute lost and the power of one moment missed can shape entire history; defining both destinies and destitute! It is no longer news that Haiti fell through earthquake. The crux of my writing is this: when the natural disaster left some lives hanging between life and death, who actually killed the rest of the many people that natural disaster didn’t kill? There were people who would have survived the earthquake but the rescue team came late. Some of us who have money refused to donate and therefore not enough aids were sent. As a result, some earthquake victims who were too weak to hold on to the rope of life slowly let go. They crossed the chasm of living and dead. That was the end. Although huge amounts of money was raised and are still being raised, many souls had gone.
If you can still remember how Americans waited for weeks to make up their minds on the Afghanistan war, whether to continue the war or to back out of it. President Barrack Obama did his best among several other challenges he was faced with. The Health Care reforms took tones of his energy. Most precious time was wasted on debate. The clock was ticking. The issue on the House’s agenda was more than the war victims. The US President was unable to make a decision quickly. The Afghanistan war claimed more lives. America later did what seem good for their country by sending reinforcement but many soldiers had already died before the back up arrived. Some great soldiers had lost their precious lives because there was no support, because artilleries were not enough, because war equipments weren’t timely supplied.
If you have ever seen the movie called Titanic, you will understand what I am talking about here. If you can still recall that the hero called Jack and other passengers on board died shortly after that shipwrecked. Numerous souls were lost in the sea because of what? Time! It happened not just because there were not enough large round floaters, to be thrown out to drowning persons. It was not a matter of watertight floaters alone but also due to the fact that the rescue team came in late. The passengers died because there was bureaucracy, ego, pride, selfishness and negligence somewhere along the chain of command. Surrounding the situation of the shipwrecked passengers was a rescue team that was infected with a viral disease called pride!
When leaders, officials, medical doctors, nurses, lawyers, committees and everyday people in the center of decisions begin to see our work as a matter of heaven and hell, as matters of life and death; then we will fulfill the will of God. When we begin to apply urgency where it is needed, we will never drag feet where we should hurry and scurry. In this age of greed where “ego-bloatedness” reigns, crossing the line of decision will continue to require much more than we can imagine. Our mere obedient we not be enough rather a timely sacrifice…Where power and pride conflicts wisdom and common sense conflicts with authority, the only thing that suffers most is people who are the creation of God.
Let it be re-written for future leaders that one most important thing to watch out for in leadership is never allow title displace target. It is not in how we dress up to appear before people or in the media. Crowd of audience may cheer, without fulfillment of purpose it all amounts to nothing. Every future leader must know this that: lives, chance, time, moments and opportunities, will never wait for anyone. This has been before the world began, and it will forever remain so. The clock is ticking. You got to make up your mind. Decide what you would do. The consequence may cost you something but the situations of urgency commands urgent response. And with each tick of the clock, souls are perishing.
Showing posts with label timing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label timing. Show all posts
Monday, February 1, 2010
Friday, December 25, 2009
Specificity of instruction
Let me tell you a true story about instruction. This is my true life story. A long time ago, when I was new in elementary school, I was in primary/ elementary one or two then. I was involved in a sporting competition which as at then was called “inter-house sport”. Usually different class of pupil get grouped into “houses” of sport contestants with some teachers who will be sport coordinators over each group. Grouping was done according to age, class, height, weight and some other demography. We were hardly grouped as a result of our athletic abilities because would be determined at the end of the season which usually lasts for weeks.
I was chosen to run in a one hundred meter dash for my group/house that very year. Before you start out any race, there was brief time of pep talk from your housemasters. They encourage you to run as fast as you can. There were some three or four boys competing from other house with me that year. I was the shortest and the less sporty contestant on set for that race. I watched the tall boys jumping excitedly and getting ready to run that day. As I bent at the starting point; I heard my Aunt whispering to me to run as fast as I could. She had accompanied me to this competition because my parents were not around. I cannot remember having run ever before that time in any track event.
To edit the story, I started out following every instruction of the umpire which was given to us before the race began: “You must not cross each other’s path; you must run on your own lane all the way through, you must run to the end of the race. You must not jump off the track at any point in time, until you reach the end, you must not stop. You don’t start running off until you’ve heard the umpire’s whistle blown”. I did follow all instruction that day. Although I finished last, I concentrated on the instructions such that I forgot that I was in a real competition. I kept the instructions in my mind, preoccupied with them until I finished the race. At the end of the race, I discovered that I had been so preoccupied with those instructions that I had made them an end in themselves. I was too afraid of being punished or beaten up by the instructor. As I strictly adhered to the instructions, the other athletes outran me. They crossed each others’ lane, broke every given rules and still finished ahead of me in that race that year.
We were about four or more who ran in that race. I got to the finish line thinking that I would be chosen nonetheless. I was thinking that because I had obeyed all the instructions, I may be chosen. But it was more than mere obedience, timing was of the essence and speed was paramount. I was expecting that any of the other three athletes who crossed each other’s tracks during the race would be disqualified for me because I ran according to instruction. Although I did not have adequate speed, I tried my best. But lo! It was more than mere instruction. It also mattered when you obeyed and how you obeyed. The urgency of instruction given is one aspect of instruction that we cannot wink at.
What eventually mattered to the coordinators of the track and field competition that day was more than mere obedience. It was important that we adhere strictly through timing. This is where the law and principles of timing comes inevitable. As far as the race was concerned, it was more than mere finesse. It was important that you finish early on the track if you are to be declared a winner. It was much more than being obedient to the rules. It was important that you complete obedience through urgency and accuracy. It was important that you applied some measure of force, drive, ruggedness and character in order to win. Time is of the essence. Speed was valuable and accuracy was inevitable.
As I got to the finish line late trying to move in with the rest of the winners; I was pulled backwards fro behind by my Aunt, then I saw one of the coordinators at the finish line sorting me out of the winners of the race. Then another coordinator whipped the boys who won the race for crisscrossing the tracks while running. My Aunt tried to save me from my obvious embarrassment as she pulled me to her side while we waited and watched from the sideline the trophy presentation before we went home that day. I let them down for finishing last in the race. She did not mock me but I learnt a lesson or two from that experience. I was in a race to win. My people were watching because they expected me to win. They were cheering me on from the sideline asking me to run!!! As I scuttled as fast as my leg could carry me; I came to realize that I could not carry myself as fast as the other boys. I finished last in the race behind all others panting heavily.
As I flashback on that event, I recollect how certain things mattered most. The first is the instruction, the second: preparation, the third is speed. The fourth is accuracy; the fifth is finesse which I had embraced at the expense of all others. I will never forget how timing was the basis of final judgement at the end of the race. At the finish line, instruction became only a guide to a destination but not the destination in itself. You may ask: what is the correlation of this. What are the moral of this story? In life and business, timing and instruction are very important that you cannot assume. You cannot expect everything to wait on a standstill for you. The significance of life is imbedded in how we approach all events, how we see and take opportunities. Life is altruistically a result of the chances we take as well as the ones we loose. Opportunities will not always be there for you. Don’t believe in the fallacy that once an opportunity is lost, another one will come. They don’t always come like that. When they do come, they are extras, not precisely what you lost but what you would have gained additionally if you had taken the initial chance when it came.
King H erod understood the meaning of the wise men’s visit to Bethlehem when Jesus was born. He was the reigning king and having another king in the same kingdom means his dethronement. He did not want to take chances; he wiped out all the children within that age bracket. If the enemy was that wise to understand the importance of timing, the age range of children born in that period, the statistics and information surrounding the birthplace of Jesus; what is happening to the children of the kingdom? An impending dethronement for Herod was the motive behind the homicide. He understood that we live in a competitive world. He was not deceiving himself. He was not going to share his throne. If we are awakened to the realities surrounding us, we will maximize opportunities surrounding us. We will wipe off our tears and run steadily in other to win the prize. We will no longer fight like someone who is beating the winds; we will fight with focus and accuracy.
Some lethargic and indolent people coined such saying like: “we are not competing” it was because we don’t want to be cutting one another’s throat. In the actual sense of it, life is all about competition! Too sad to say that in the grand scheme of things we are unconsciously competing. Paul said that be careful lest no man take thy crown. There is a tendency to lose your crown. Why? Because it is competitive... the race of heaven and earth is competitive. And if you will be sincere enough, you will face it head on. Look sincerely and long enough and you will see the marks and evidence of contest in your school grades, workplace, sales’ raise, promotions, achievements, awards and more; to mention few. There must be losers and winners. And the winner takes all in this modern world. The best person you will better compete with may be truly yourself but you still have to compete to break the power of mediocrity. You must conquer the enemy within you who is called average. Yes! You can get frustrated trying to compete with other people. However, in not competing against self, we don’t just fail but we fail to reach our maximum potential. There must be that desire to be better of than where we used to be yesterday. There must be passion to grow and develop. We must keep rising, advancing continually from within! Your success will be measured by your willingness to keep on persevering. Your success does not have less to do with how lightly you handle scarce opportunities. It has more to do with speed, timing and direction
I was chosen to run in a one hundred meter dash for my group/house that very year. Before you start out any race, there was brief time of pep talk from your housemasters. They encourage you to run as fast as you can. There were some three or four boys competing from other house with me that year. I was the shortest and the less sporty contestant on set for that race. I watched the tall boys jumping excitedly and getting ready to run that day. As I bent at the starting point; I heard my Aunt whispering to me to run as fast as I could. She had accompanied me to this competition because my parents were not around. I cannot remember having run ever before that time in any track event.
To edit the story, I started out following every instruction of the umpire which was given to us before the race began: “You must not cross each other’s path; you must run on your own lane all the way through, you must run to the end of the race. You must not jump off the track at any point in time, until you reach the end, you must not stop. You don’t start running off until you’ve heard the umpire’s whistle blown”. I did follow all instruction that day. Although I finished last, I concentrated on the instructions such that I forgot that I was in a real competition. I kept the instructions in my mind, preoccupied with them until I finished the race. At the end of the race, I discovered that I had been so preoccupied with those instructions that I had made them an end in themselves. I was too afraid of being punished or beaten up by the instructor. As I strictly adhered to the instructions, the other athletes outran me. They crossed each others’ lane, broke every given rules and still finished ahead of me in that race that year.
We were about four or more who ran in that race. I got to the finish line thinking that I would be chosen nonetheless. I was thinking that because I had obeyed all the instructions, I may be chosen. But it was more than mere obedience, timing was of the essence and speed was paramount. I was expecting that any of the other three athletes who crossed each other’s tracks during the race would be disqualified for me because I ran according to instruction. Although I did not have adequate speed, I tried my best. But lo! It was more than mere instruction. It also mattered when you obeyed and how you obeyed. The urgency of instruction given is one aspect of instruction that we cannot wink at.
What eventually mattered to the coordinators of the track and field competition that day was more than mere obedience. It was important that we adhere strictly through timing. This is where the law and principles of timing comes inevitable. As far as the race was concerned, it was more than mere finesse. It was important that you finish early on the track if you are to be declared a winner. It was much more than being obedient to the rules. It was important that you complete obedience through urgency and accuracy. It was important that you applied some measure of force, drive, ruggedness and character in order to win. Time is of the essence. Speed was valuable and accuracy was inevitable.
As I got to the finish line late trying to move in with the rest of the winners; I was pulled backwards fro behind by my Aunt, then I saw one of the coordinators at the finish line sorting me out of the winners of the race. Then another coordinator whipped the boys who won the race for crisscrossing the tracks while running. My Aunt tried to save me from my obvious embarrassment as she pulled me to her side while we waited and watched from the sideline the trophy presentation before we went home that day. I let them down for finishing last in the race. She did not mock me but I learnt a lesson or two from that experience. I was in a race to win. My people were watching because they expected me to win. They were cheering me on from the sideline asking me to run!!! As I scuttled as fast as my leg could carry me; I came to realize that I could not carry myself as fast as the other boys. I finished last in the race behind all others panting heavily.
As I flashback on that event, I recollect how certain things mattered most. The first is the instruction, the second: preparation, the third is speed. The fourth is accuracy; the fifth is finesse which I had embraced at the expense of all others. I will never forget how timing was the basis of final judgement at the end of the race. At the finish line, instruction became only a guide to a destination but not the destination in itself. You may ask: what is the correlation of this. What are the moral of this story? In life and business, timing and instruction are very important that you cannot assume. You cannot expect everything to wait on a standstill for you. The significance of life is imbedded in how we approach all events, how we see and take opportunities. Life is altruistically a result of the chances we take as well as the ones we loose. Opportunities will not always be there for you. Don’t believe in the fallacy that once an opportunity is lost, another one will come. They don’t always come like that. When they do come, they are extras, not precisely what you lost but what you would have gained additionally if you had taken the initial chance when it came.
King H erod understood the meaning of the wise men’s visit to Bethlehem when Jesus was born. He was the reigning king and having another king in the same kingdom means his dethronement. He did not want to take chances; he wiped out all the children within that age bracket. If the enemy was that wise to understand the importance of timing, the age range of children born in that period, the statistics and information surrounding the birthplace of Jesus; what is happening to the children of the kingdom? An impending dethronement for Herod was the motive behind the homicide. He understood that we live in a competitive world. He was not deceiving himself. He was not going to share his throne. If we are awakened to the realities surrounding us, we will maximize opportunities surrounding us. We will wipe off our tears and run steadily in other to win the prize. We will no longer fight like someone who is beating the winds; we will fight with focus and accuracy.
Some lethargic and indolent people coined such saying like: “we are not competing” it was because we don’t want to be cutting one another’s throat. In the actual sense of it, life is all about competition! Too sad to say that in the grand scheme of things we are unconsciously competing. Paul said that be careful lest no man take thy crown. There is a tendency to lose your crown. Why? Because it is competitive... the race of heaven and earth is competitive. And if you will be sincere enough, you will face it head on. Look sincerely and long enough and you will see the marks and evidence of contest in your school grades, workplace, sales’ raise, promotions, achievements, awards and more; to mention few. There must be losers and winners. And the winner takes all in this modern world. The best person you will better compete with may be truly yourself but you still have to compete to break the power of mediocrity. You must conquer the enemy within you who is called average. Yes! You can get frustrated trying to compete with other people. However, in not competing against self, we don’t just fail but we fail to reach our maximum potential. There must be that desire to be better of than where we used to be yesterday. There must be passion to grow and develop. We must keep rising, advancing continually from within! Your success will be measured by your willingness to keep on persevering. Your success does not have less to do with how lightly you handle scarce opportunities. It has more to do with speed, timing and direction
Homicide of pro-activity! (Part One)
This is a narrative of true event that will shape your life forever. You will appreciate the place of speed and accuracy in destiny. You will value instruction and timing based on divine direction. Your making it in life will be dependent on timing, instruction and direction. Timing actually informs speediness while instruction actualizes accuracy. We need both to be what God wants us to be. The earthly father of Jesus was warned in a dream to take the son-Jesus out of Bethlehem to Egypt. If he had lingered some months longer in Bethlehem, if he had waited for a year or two more; what do you think would have become of the baby-Jesus? Needless to say, King Herod would have killed him along with the multitude of children that were massacred from two years down. And the essence of Christmas would have become short circuited in history by now.
The place of instruction and timing gives birth to accuracy and speed obtainable in destiny. There are some things that cannot be overemphasised in the school of the spirit. When you hear from God, you will be sure, accurate and correct. You cannot go wrong if you heard directly from God. Just because you knew you heard Him precisely, you will have confidence. However, many people take God’s word and instruction slowly and inactively. The passivity they demonstrate aborts the process to their blessings and they question God over His "unfulfilled" promises. The truth is: when you hear Him, there is always a timeline within which His instruction is to be expedited. Sometimes, you are expected to carry out the instruction within a certain period of time. This is why speed is very important. It is by instruction through God's word that we stay ahead of the enemy's plans. It is by instruction-divine instruction- that we outwit the devil.
Matthew 2:12-15, says: "…And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
These were clear instructions given to the wise men that came to worship Jesus when He was born. Joseph the earthly father of Jesus was also instructed at the same time to run away into exile with the child in order to hide him for a season.
Matthew 2:14 says: “…When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod... Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men."
The obedience of Joseph to instruction led to the preservation of the Messiah from infanthood so that He could fulfill His mission. Simple instruction through a mere dream saved the life of the baby-Jesus from being killed along with other children that Herod killed. Let me quickly tell you these that: the enemy is always time conscious, even if you are not. The enemy is always angry at the seed of greatness in you and he is ready to destroy as many just for him to get hold of just one target. If you doubt that, you can quickly recall 9-11 at the world trade centre in USA. The enemy has come to kill, to steal and to destroy. You will wonder why I am talking to you about the enemy. The scripture says we are not ignorant of the devices of the enemy. Matthew 2:12 says: "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."
God's instruction does not always come in repetitive forms. So don’t wait till God speak the second or third time before you act on His instructions. His instruction doesn’t have to be repeated over and again before we obey. The wise men were warned in just one dream. Joseph was warned in just one dream. And they all obeyed.
The place of instruction and timing gives birth to accuracy and speed obtainable in destiny. There are some things that cannot be overemphasised in the school of the spirit. When you hear from God, you will be sure, accurate and correct. You cannot go wrong if you heard directly from God. Just because you knew you heard Him precisely, you will have confidence. However, many people take God’s word and instruction slowly and inactively. The passivity they demonstrate aborts the process to their blessings and they question God over His "unfulfilled" promises. The truth is: when you hear Him, there is always a timeline within which His instruction is to be expedited. Sometimes, you are expected to carry out the instruction within a certain period of time. This is why speed is very important. It is by instruction through God's word that we stay ahead of the enemy's plans. It is by instruction-divine instruction- that we outwit the devil.
Matthew 2:12-15, says: "…And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
These were clear instructions given to the wise men that came to worship Jesus when He was born. Joseph the earthly father of Jesus was also instructed at the same time to run away into exile with the child in order to hide him for a season.
Matthew 2:14 says: “…When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod... Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men."
The obedience of Joseph to instruction led to the preservation of the Messiah from infanthood so that He could fulfill His mission. Simple instruction through a mere dream saved the life of the baby-Jesus from being killed along with other children that Herod killed. Let me quickly tell you these that: the enemy is always time conscious, even if you are not. The enemy is always angry at the seed of greatness in you and he is ready to destroy as many just for him to get hold of just one target. If you doubt that, you can quickly recall 9-11 at the world trade centre in USA. The enemy has come to kill, to steal and to destroy. You will wonder why I am talking to you about the enemy. The scripture says we are not ignorant of the devices of the enemy. Matthew 2:12 says: "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."
God's instruction does not always come in repetitive forms. So don’t wait till God speak the second or third time before you act on His instructions. His instruction doesn’t have to be repeated over and again before we obey. The wise men were warned in just one dream. Joseph was warned in just one dream. And they all obeyed.
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