Last year, I came across an advert by a coding company. They were in need of a blogger. I went on ahead to apply for it, since you’ve seen how I’m not that bad at it. Stupidly (indeed very stupidly), at the part where the questionnaire/application asked for my cover letter, I replied — not with a formal document — saying,
“I am what you need!”
Now, now, the fact that I have authored a 260-paged-book was causing me to boast. I knew the proprietor of the company, and so, I went to his inbox and asked what had happened, as after some weeks, I hadn’t received feedback! He was told what I did! It must have been utter disrespect to the human resource team, now that I think about it. I tried to pull strings since I knew the man, but all was in vain.
You see, knowing the person who owns the company, and how good I was at my prowess made me think I’d trespass, and not use the system put in place for application! I thought I was above the system. And that’s where we Christians go wrong. Or anyone who has a ‘Gamba N’ogu’.
This doesn’t go for the Christians alone, but the entire world at large. Big companies put out adverts for jobs and we are too lazy to do what needs to be done. Maybe it’s this generation’s flaw! Yes we’ve been labelled the era that wants things so easy, such that even the ‘so easy’ things have become so hard!
Being very good at what you do doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fit in the systems as per their guidelines. You have to condense your big head and mighty portfolio in order to acquire that position. I see now that if I went for a job with the proud I-am-what-you-need mindset, I’d have found it hard to tame my attitude during the work execution. It’s after the Lord disclosed it, that I got myself in line.
***
Today I was late for an appointment. I kept saying, “There’s grace. I am favored.”
But it’s all a little mould in bread. A little corruption that might doom me or you in the end. This is after I had agreed with a client that I’d meet them at 10am. Even after I knew what time I was supposed to be exiting to start my journey, I RELAXED … saying the favor of the Lord will cover up for my lateness…
“After all, they do not have anyone else but me for the job.” I uttered absentmindedly.
The Spirit however convicted me deep down not to make this talk a habit; Not to exchange principles for comfort; Not to swap spirituality for laziness or indiscipline; And to remain humble.
A fellow was asked to repeat an assignment with his group. He was grouped with ‘staunch’ Christians, but none had done the work. On the day of submission of corrections, no one had a genuine reason as to why they had nothing. And then, that colleague mentioned that it was useless claiming how spiritual they were if they could not produce work on time, calling upon Jesus to provide pardon for their laziness by speaking in tongues claiming it’d be well.
“They had a whole week to make these changes Biggie.” He recoiled in utter disappointment.
The problem here was that these chaps weren’t humble enough to accept the grace of extension that had been added to their project by the lecturer, and instead thought they were above the system. They’d do whatever they wilt — abusing the grace availed.
In other instances, let’s also remember that God’s grace may not be the same grace that a random employer bears. A person might get fired for example, and all yet, it’d been their attitude in the first place. I’m not saying people can’t underlook your ability sometimes, but it’d be that this particular person doesn’t take criticism nicely. They’d brush it off saying, “Christ perfected all that concerns me. There’s nothing wrong with me.”
In the long run, there’d be no growth for the individual in regards to character, or in things concerning that organization. Maybe they are being asked to repeat a report as per the company’s catalogue. And they just lack the humility to learn…
I mean … I lost a job because I was proud, and even after that, I told myself, “God will provide another.”
Indeed, He does — and He did — but He won’t let us repeat the same mistakes when He brings grander opportunities.
I once prayed that jobs would look for me and find me. They surely have, but I haven’t been responding to them appropriately. After that lesson, God gave me a second chance. UNICEF put out an ad searching for editors and writers. Once they asked for a cover letter, I had to do a lot of research as if I was doing a thesis about it, and as soon as I was done, I submitted my application a week ago.
Had I not learnt humility, I’d have botched this as well.
***
In the church, many ladies cry that they are running late in regards to their time of marriage. These are the same girls who think they are too good for every young man who approaches them! Soon, those very same men marry other girls, leaving the proud ladies hanging, and they wonder what’s wrong with them!
Dear christian girl, be humble. Yes he may not be your God-ordained man, but treat him with good speech as well, like he was your brother as opposed to insulting his status and inability to ‘afford’ you.
To sympathize with all of us howbeit, many a times, being humble can be difficult. Very difficult. But that’s if you haven’t known the secret of the Spirit. You see He bears fruit in us if we abide in Him. Part of the fruit that will come up effortlessly will be humility. It’ll come with lots of ease, just like it convicted me as I misbehaved those few times. That’s why a christian is more at an advantage to exude humility than a person who doesn’t know God.
So … don’t ask God for humility. You already bear an abundance of it. You just need to be more aware and mindful of it, continuing to cultivate it.
In the meantime, use the systems provided by organizations to submit, don’t think you’re guaranteed a win because of your relationship with a person in a high place, don’t make a habit of a one-time bail God helps you out with, be kind to those that approach you, be wise to receive and implement the correction from the past times God has rebuked you, or you can as well learn from mistakes as such as I have shared.
Cheers.
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Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. (AMP)
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