I had arrived early at the mall and thought to use my time efficiently by purchasing a book. I was some 20 minutes early for my rendezvous with a friend. I couldn’t just sit at the café, staring into the open space and wait for my friend to come in through the doors, could I? Better find something useful to do as you wait.
So I went upstairs to the Nu Metro bookstore. Up and down the aisles, looking for an inspirational title. I picked this one up: The Life@Work Book – Sixteen Respected Leaders Talk About Blending Biblical Wisdom and Business Excellence. Very well.
It wasn’t even a few minutes after I had sat down at the table in the café that my friend arrived. I never did get a chance to look purposefully engaged as I sat and read a book waiting for my friend.
Easy like Sunday Morning
I got the chance to start reading the book this morning. Maybe it’s part being rebellious, part being an avid reader who dislikes book introductions, I exercised my prerogative of starting the book from any chapter of my choice. Chapter 9 stared me in the face as I flicked the book open.
Chapter 9
Vision: Seeing Beyond the Majority from Living Above the Level of Mediocrity by Charles R Swindell.
Coincidence? God-Incidence? Well, I never. I begin to read.
The introduction to chapter nine reads like this:
“Charles Swindoll was taking stock of the attitudes of Americans, and he could not help but notice a disturbing reality: People settle. When they could be great, they accept being good – or perhaps just being OK. When they could shine like the brightest star, they opt to put forth only enough enragy for the required soft glow. They settle.”
“Worse,” the introduction goes on, “this acceptance of mediocrity is just as common among followers of Christ – perhaps more common – as it is among unbelievers. Swindoll began to wonder: As believers in the God of the universe – the God that defines perfection – shouldn’t we soar like eagles instead of crawling like worms?”
As I began to read the core of chapter 9 itself, it becomes clearer how Charles Swindoll ascertains that one should live beyond mediocrity: with vision, determination, priorities and being accountable.
Returning to Ascension
I begin to think of the likes of Obama, Kola Karim and the likes of Hilary Clinton. What am I saying, I even begin to think about dear friends and family members to whom all manner of misfortune have collided with but yet they remained determined to ascend, remained committed to their goal and vision (“that’s all I know to do. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else,” I have often heard), and charted out their priorities, even if it meant separating yourself from the crowd and being classified as ‘deep and boring.’
Never mind them, I say. When you get to the other side you will fly your collar and they will say, “I knew her. I knew him. We worked with the same organisation some years back in Kalakuta.”
Attributes of vision
Swindoll went on to describe the attributes of vision – attitude, belief, capacity, determination and enthusiasm.
Attitude: when you have a vision, it affects your attitude. Your attitude is optimistic rather than being negative… “not foolishly positive, as though in fantasy, for you are reading God into your circumstances.” The ever present G-factor that must drive our hopes and our dreams.
Belief: refuse to give into temptation and doubt. Maintain a strong belief in the power of God, confidence in yourself by the grace of God and confidence in those around you who are in similar battles
Capacity: a willingness to be stretched. Allowing your capacity to be invaded by His power. I hear that loud and clear. There has been many an occasion when I found myself saying: “Father, I have done all that I know to do.” His response? “Remember My Word that says, “Having done all, stand,”.”
Determination: that speaks for itself, right?
Enthusiasm – need I say more?
June 08
I had determined to centre my prayers and quiet thoughts during this month of June on the issue of purpose, the manifestation of purpose, and for the closing of the gap between the here and now and of destiny.
I think it no surprise therefore that I ‘coincidentally’ picked up The Life@Work Book.
Sunday 8 June 2008
Friday 6 June 2008
Ascension
History is indeed for each and every one of us to make, and even as I remain totally and absolutely thrilled at the nomination of Barack Obama as the Democratic Party’s Presidential candidate I am reminded that Obama’s ascension is simply a result of his pursuit of purpose.
Never mind what they tried to associate him to in the teaching and preaching of Rev. Wright. Never mind that some have said “not in my lifetime” would a black man be a US Presidential candidate. Never mind the sceptics who continue to have misgivings about the ability of a black man to run the United States of America. With God all things are possible.
I doubt whether Obama set out from his youth to be a US Presidential candidate. What I am inclined to believe is that he somewhere along the way developed a passion for politics and suffered a vision of bringing about social and economic transformation through the political arena. His responsibility was simply to pursue that dream, and to have, to use his own slogan, the audacity of hope.
You and me
What absolutely blows my mind is that he is just an ordinary person. And that gets me excited. It gets me excited because I realise that there is greatness in each and every one of us. Sure, your and my greatness may not take us to the White House, but it will surely take us to a place of fulfilment. Our responsibility is to pursue that dream and be responsible enough to see through the actualisation of the vision.
“Not me,” I hear you say. “I need at least a million dollars to actualise my vision.” I am sure when Obama ran for Congress a few years back he may very well have said the same thing. The difference is that he stayed true to his dream and attracted the finances needed then and now to actualise that dream.
Who needs money?
It was just the other day that my Pastor said, on the topic of purpose, you don’t need money to realise your dreams, you just need a vision.” I didn’t quite make sense to me but I took him at his word and gave the statement some serious thought when I got home. What my Pastor was saying was that your vision is a magnet to which someone will be drawn. Someone will be drawn and provide for your vision.
Your responsibility is to have a vision, market the vision and somewhere along the way the road map will become clearer. How so? Well, how about this.
Fiction story no 1
You want to go to be a great entrepreneur and study at the Wharton Business School. But (and there’s always a comma, in fact many commas, along the way) your parents can barely afford to put you through secondary school.
Days are spent in studying hard in school, homework is not completed after school for you must work the family farm after school for therein is the family subsistence. The evenings are spent studying by candle light for there is no electricity in poverty stricken area that your parents can afford, or barely afford to live. So, the dream of being a great entrepreneur and studying at Wharton seems to slowly pass you by.
But then, you still continue to study. You complete your secondary school education with flying colours and your teachers (out of their own volition) use their networks to seek a scholarship for you to enter into a University – the first in your family ever to embark on such a course. See how your vision, when tilled, draws providers to you?
It does not stop there. You pass undergraduate study with First Class Honours, having studied hard and in the same manner and more in which you studied at secondary school. And guess what, you apply for a full scholarship to complete a Masters in Business Administration at Wharton, and guess what, it is awarded. Maybe it’s not awarded in the first year you apply though, maybe it is awarded in the second year, but fact of the matter is, it is awarded eventually and you realise your dream.
My own fiction as this story might be, the reality is that there are thousands and thousands and thousands of such similar stories and occurrences every single day. Testimonies of God proving over and over again that what is impossible with man is possible with Him. He didn’t promise that our stories would be devoid of the detours of the Rev Wrights, but He has promised to see us through successfully to the other side.
Nigeria’s Young Global Leader
Very recently the World Economic Forum named a Nigerian, Mr Kola Karim, among the 200 odd top young global leaders for 2008. Each year the World Economic Forum recognises young leaders under the age of 40 from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.
I don’t know Kola Karim that well but I have met him a couple of times. Apart from being one of the funniest and most pleasant of people that I know, I am sure Kola did not set out in this race to be a World Economic Forum young global leader. What I am sure he set out to do was to simply yet energetically pursue a business idea. He had a vision which he marketed and worked through, and others provided for that vision in the form of business associates, partners, financiers etc.
I’ll finish with the words of Mr Karim on being named a young global leader:
“It is a great honour to be elected to this community. I dedicate this honour to the 900 million unknown heroes of Africa who work daily towards meting the challenge of our generation, to those who use their imagination, initiative and indomitable spirit to build a new society, and to those who seize the God-given opportunity to help create a new outcome for Africa. This honour is theirs, and I am humbled to receive it on their behalf.”
I celebrate Kola’s public ascension in his chosen field.
And I celebrate the faith of every single American who dared to give hope and change a chance with their vote and support of the Obama campaign.
Never mind what they tried to associate him to in the teaching and preaching of Rev. Wright. Never mind that some have said “not in my lifetime” would a black man be a US Presidential candidate. Never mind the sceptics who continue to have misgivings about the ability of a black man to run the United States of America. With God all things are possible.
I doubt whether Obama set out from his youth to be a US Presidential candidate. What I am inclined to believe is that he somewhere along the way developed a passion for politics and suffered a vision of bringing about social and economic transformation through the political arena. His responsibility was simply to pursue that dream, and to have, to use his own slogan, the audacity of hope.
You and me
What absolutely blows my mind is that he is just an ordinary person. And that gets me excited. It gets me excited because I realise that there is greatness in each and every one of us. Sure, your and my greatness may not take us to the White House, but it will surely take us to a place of fulfilment. Our responsibility is to pursue that dream and be responsible enough to see through the actualisation of the vision.
“Not me,” I hear you say. “I need at least a million dollars to actualise my vision.” I am sure when Obama ran for Congress a few years back he may very well have said the same thing. The difference is that he stayed true to his dream and attracted the finances needed then and now to actualise that dream.
Who needs money?
It was just the other day that my Pastor said, on the topic of purpose, you don’t need money to realise your dreams, you just need a vision.” I didn’t quite make sense to me but I took him at his word and gave the statement some serious thought when I got home. What my Pastor was saying was that your vision is a magnet to which someone will be drawn. Someone will be drawn and provide for your vision.
Your responsibility is to have a vision, market the vision and somewhere along the way the road map will become clearer. How so? Well, how about this.
Fiction story no 1
You want to go to be a great entrepreneur and study at the Wharton Business School. But (and there’s always a comma, in fact many commas, along the way) your parents can barely afford to put you through secondary school.
Days are spent in studying hard in school, homework is not completed after school for you must work the family farm after school for therein is the family subsistence. The evenings are spent studying by candle light for there is no electricity in poverty stricken area that your parents can afford, or barely afford to live. So, the dream of being a great entrepreneur and studying at Wharton seems to slowly pass you by.
But then, you still continue to study. You complete your secondary school education with flying colours and your teachers (out of their own volition) use their networks to seek a scholarship for you to enter into a University – the first in your family ever to embark on such a course. See how your vision, when tilled, draws providers to you?
It does not stop there. You pass undergraduate study with First Class Honours, having studied hard and in the same manner and more in which you studied at secondary school. And guess what, you apply for a full scholarship to complete a Masters in Business Administration at Wharton, and guess what, it is awarded. Maybe it’s not awarded in the first year you apply though, maybe it is awarded in the second year, but fact of the matter is, it is awarded eventually and you realise your dream.
My own fiction as this story might be, the reality is that there are thousands and thousands and thousands of such similar stories and occurrences every single day. Testimonies of God proving over and over again that what is impossible with man is possible with Him. He didn’t promise that our stories would be devoid of the detours of the Rev Wrights, but He has promised to see us through successfully to the other side.
Nigeria’s Young Global Leader
Very recently the World Economic Forum named a Nigerian, Mr Kola Karim, among the 200 odd top young global leaders for 2008. Each year the World Economic Forum recognises young leaders under the age of 40 from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.
I don’t know Kola Karim that well but I have met him a couple of times. Apart from being one of the funniest and most pleasant of people that I know, I am sure Kola did not set out in this race to be a World Economic Forum young global leader. What I am sure he set out to do was to simply yet energetically pursue a business idea. He had a vision which he marketed and worked through, and others provided for that vision in the form of business associates, partners, financiers etc.
I’ll finish with the words of Mr Karim on being named a young global leader:
“It is a great honour to be elected to this community. I dedicate this honour to the 900 million unknown heroes of Africa who work daily towards meting the challenge of our generation, to those who use their imagination, initiative and indomitable spirit to build a new society, and to those who seize the God-given opportunity to help create a new outcome for Africa. This honour is theirs, and I am humbled to receive it on their behalf.”
I celebrate Kola’s public ascension in his chosen field.
And I celebrate the faith of every single American who dared to give hope and change a chance with their vote and support of the Obama campaign.
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