J. N. Ng'ang'a Meditations for 2nd to 8th May 2011: You Are Unique, Your Mission Is Unique Hence No Need To Compare
Day 1
Exodus31:2 New International Version
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2"See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- 4to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship
To be contented and productive in what we do, we must find out what God has called us to do. You should not try to be an engineer if God has called you to be a doctor! You will not enjoy it. You only enjoy what you are made up for. When you are made for something, you tend to enjoy it more than other things.
In my days in school, we had schools which were called harambee schools. These are schools that were begun by the community and because they often admitted academically weak students. The schools often did not do well in Sciences. As such, students formed the opinion that Sciences are difficult and are a reserve for cleverer students ingovernment schools. Of course this is opinion is a lie. Alliance High School, a government school’s A levels had four classes—three Sciences ones and an Art one.
I learnt that in Alliance A levels, there was no time the class of Arts ever beat the class of Science in the national exams. Science classes always did better in A levels. Why? The reason why many people were not doing well in Science in harambee schools is because somebody told everybody to do science. God created you to do humanities but because people want you to do Science you ended up attempting Science. What happens? You didn’t to well. But for people who are born better in mathematics, they don't know anything simpler! In fact most A grades come from mathematics. So the reason you would fail mathematics is because you are doing the things you were not created to do.
Day 2
John 6:45 International Standard Version (C2008)
It is written in the Prophets, 'And all of them will be taught by God.' Everyone who has listened to the Father and has learned anything comes to me
One of the critical things for young people if they are going to take the direction I am talking about, it is to find out the purpose for which God created them. What are your vision your mission? If you do things in line with your vision and mission, three things happen.
The first thing is that God will give you the power to reach the vision. I encourage you to read my book, Leaders Source of Influence, to understand what this actually means.
Secondly, when you are in a place where you feel God has called you, you are so assured of supernatural energy, you are willing to go through thick and thin to reach there. But when you are in something that you doubt, you seem to lose energy to be able to reach the vision. Similarly, when you are in your area of call, you enjoy it, you don't just endure it. When you are in the area of call, somehow, other people might not like it but to enjoy it.
The other day I was with somebody who works in Afghanistan. He said, “I work in Afghanistan and every week my wife takes cassettes, she tries to look for messages which some of which you have preached, and she sends the cassette to me in Afghanistan.”
“Were you forced to work there?”, I asked.
“No, no, it is my choice.”
I think many of us cannot choose to go there! But when you feel the call of God to Afghanistan, say, to preach or doing some professional job in Afghanistan, you will actually enjoy it! Bullets may be flying, right, left, front or centre, but you will be in God's protection until God needs you back home!
Day 3
I Timothy 6:17
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
When you are in a place of God's appointment, you enjoy it while others endure it! As such it is important to discover what the call of God on your life is. Three things result from knowing this calling: first, you are assured of God's help. Secondly, you tend to enjoy what you do. Thirdly, you will be good at that work. For example, if you are called to playing tennis, the ball does not miss you! God equips you for his call. As such, reaching your ambition becomes much easier.
I should point out that you should not think you will succeed if you try to be like Ng'ang'a or you try to be like Nyong'o. It doesn't matter who you choose to copy but it will frustrate YOU. Find out what the call of God on your own life IS. Don't try to be like your mother. You may adore her but that does not mean you should be like her. If she is a lawyer, don't try to be a lawyer like her. She is doing what God called her to do. The fact that she is a lawyer does not mean you have to become a lawyer. There are many people who are similar to their fathers. Their mental makeup is however different. You cannot be fully like your father. Your father may imagine that since you are his son you will be exactly like him. But the truth is that you are different.
So it is important to understand you must find out for yourself exactly why you were created. What is your mission in life? You are likely to do well when you do what God has called you.
Day 4
Genesis 39:23 The keeper of the prison didn't look after anything that was under his hand, because Yahweh was with him; and that which he did, Yahweh made it prosper
Success is to be measured, not by comparing yourself with others but by comparing yourself with you! If you are going to fulfill God's will in your life, you must choose not to compare yourself with others. Sadly, in our country, we have been taught to compare ourselves. In school we compare ourselves against others academically. Sometimes I ask myself, why bother to compare? Why does it matter? We are all different individuals and should not be doing so.
I had a missionary teacher in secondary school in late 1960s. He did not think that you will achieve anything by trying to compete with others. He taught us the important thing is to compete against yourself. So my report forms, had three columns. The first column was the result for the term, the exam I did for that term. The second one was what he introduced those days called continuous assessment. The third one was percentage improvement. That means he would help your parents to see how you did the previous term against how you did this term, and you calculate a percentage improvement. And our parents were told not to bother with the result of the first two columns as much as last one. So if you had eighty and this term you had seventy five, your percentage improvement goes down. So our parents were told the child's performance was declining and they need to take necessary action.
I would like to assist you to get rid of the idea of comparing yourself with others. You are unique. God created you so. It has been discovered that nobody has a similar thumb print as you do. God always creates the original you. Someone wrote a book titled You Were Born Original, Don't Die a Copy!
Day 5
2 Timothy 2:15 Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who doesn't need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth.
Hard work, not laziness, is God's command for his children.
In my family I never gave my children prizes because they have become the best in class. I learnt what mattered, is comparing how you did this term against how you did the previous term. Whenever you improve, it means you are putting in effort. I have three children and they don't have similar IQs. So if you are born bright, you are always at the top in class. Some people still top the class even without working hard. Such a child may have an A, despite not working hard. Another child whose IQ is lower may get lower marks, such as a C grade. They may get a B if they work harder. The bright one will still score an A.
If you reward the lazy A, the reward is misplaced because God created them cleverer. So who needs the prize? I think it should be God! So I reserve the reward for God! I only should reward if you worked harder. So we didn't bother with the grade you got, we bothered with whether you are improving or not improving. Because then the area of improving is your area. Isn't it? You are putting effort. Even an A of 75% can be improved to that of 80%!
Day 6
Song of Songs 6:9
My dove, my perfect one, is unique. She is her mother's only daughter. She is the favorite one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed; the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. (WEB NAS NIV)
God creates us unique beings with gifts to fulfill the mission God created us for. Do not therefore worry that your sister might be cleverer than you. That is irrelevant. For her she requires to get that grade for her to do what God wants her to do.
I did my form four exams about forty years ago. One of the things I still remember was a success card I got from one of the CU members. They wrote, “May the Lord give you the grade that is required for the career of his choice.” Whoever wrote it did not ask for a first division. They prayed, that I may get the grade that is required for God's career for me.
There are certain careers that require second division. Others require first division. That means if I get a second division, I cannot go to that career that requires first division. Similarly, If I get a grade B, I cannot get in to a career requiring an A grade. The critical thing is where does God want me? What's my calling? It is pointless for you to compare yourself with others.
Day 7
John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleans us from all sin. ...
Success is going by God's mission.
If you work hard, God has his own way of rewarding you. That's why comparison is meaningless. Whether you scored an A or a C is not the point. A grade C may be all you required. The important issue is whether you get a C by being lazy, or whether you worked hard and obtained a C grade. The person who got a C by being lazy, deserves punishment. Indeed the Bible has more condemnation for laziness than for drunkenness. We seem to accommodate lazy people, and yet the bible condemns laziness even more than drunkardness. Remember both of them are evil.
Of course, I am not suggesting you have either. If you are reading this and you are lazy, your future destiny in hell may be similar to the one who is drunk! Laziness is refusing to put into use that which God has given you. It is an insult on the giver. Laziness is sin just as drunkardness and immorality are sin. So it is very important to understand as we talk about success, that it will be important that we deal with the issue of laziness.