“What we do for ourselves dies with us; what we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” – Albert Pike
Dearest reader,
Circa 2007, my mother would be in the interiors of Cross River State, Nigeria teaching middle-aged women, old women and elderly people how to read and write the English language. The reason for this was not just for educational purposes. It was because they needed to know how to read the scriptures. Yes, I come from the line of priests. My father is a priest; my mother is an evangelist, and they both have dedicated their lives to serving Jesus, and everything that they have done has been to serve Jesus. They both believe that what they have belongs to God, and they have the rare privilege of managing these resources for God, their children included.
Growing up, whenever there was a need and I would tell my dad, or any of my siblings would tell our father we needed something, he would say, go to your Father. And by that he meant, go and pray, go and talk to God. Yes, that infuriated us, but in a short time, we came to understand that we needed that training. I digress.
The point here is, in retrospect, the accomplishments of my parents in light of what they have dedicated their lives to, leave me with the need to do more. I do not think that I have the same level of faith that my mother has. Neither do I have the same level of faith that my father has. By the mercies of God, my father has raised the dead, not once, not twice. Those with terminal illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, you name it, have been healed. Barren women have taken in; marital delays have been broken, and the list goes on and on. Above all, many have given their lives to Christ because of their ministry.
What then is the essence of this story that I share with us today? It is that we ought to lead lives that inspire the next generation to do more. And I think that it is something that Jesus accomplished: He led a life that always makes us feel like there is more to be done. He becomes the ideal. Am I saying you should be the ideal? Not in the least. None can. However, lead a life the younger generation can look at and say, I gotta do something. I have to do more than I’m doing right now. The shoe that you fill should be so big that one has to be very intentional if they are to ever fill your shoes.
On the other hand, I’m not trying to compete with my parents neither am I trying to go head to head with their accomplishments. No, and that is something that they very much paid attention to: dowsing the pressure. They said, Look, you all have got different things that you’re to do for God. Find out what it is, stick to it. Hence, when you find out what it is you’re to do, whatever your life’s purpose is, stick to it.
Stick to your life’s purpose and work at it like there’s nothing else. Speaking to the boys, members of the King’s Court Mentorship Program, the other day, I urged them to study as though there is no God to pray to for help. And when they pray to God for help, they should pray to him for help as though they will never lift a finger. There should be balance. Again, lead a life that inspires.
I hope that in the end, I would have inspired another life. If I end up inspiring a whole lot of people, great. But if in the end, it is just one life that will be inspired to do more than just enough; inspired to perform above average, then I would have done something meaningful with my life. “The best way to predict the future is to create it,“ says Peter Drucker. Whatever you’re doing has an effect; ensure it is positive.
Leaning in, Apostle Paul says, Do nothing that might make men stumble, whether they are Jews or Greeks or members of the Church of God. I myself try to adapt myself to all men without considering my own advantage but their advantage, that if possible they may be saved. True, we reserve the right to live as we please, but for the sake of those who watch us, we must conduct ourselves in a manner that will not cause another to stumble and fall. We must always remember that people are watching us. Hence, for the sake of those who are watching, for the sake of posterity, we must, by any means necessary, endeavor to lead a life that truly inspires, because when one is inspired, they work in spite of whatever incentive that might come their way.
This is not a call to be men-pleasers but a call to take responsibility for tomorrow. Say, planting trees whose shade we will not enjoy. Nelson Henderson said it better when he said, “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” So lead that life today!
The Chief Patriarch.
