Growing up, I had a dream of being a neurosurgeon, like Ben Carson. I loved the thrills that characterized the job. But is thrill all there is to life? I want more from life!
I shelved neurosurgery for virology. I adored the beautiful sights of viruses- the amazing constitution that when not in a living tissue seems harmless but becomes dangerous on entry via its preferred predilected route. Again I was faced with another inundating challenge of determining whether I will be satisfied with just viruses. The doubt compelled me to face the truth embedded in the laws of economics which is 'man's desires are insatiable'. So I made consults.
I studied biographies and autobiographies. I read philosophical materials and several how-to-do-it's, all to no avail as all of them failed to answer the basic question of what's next after wealth? Death? Not yet. There is still a vaccum.
Respise however came from Solomon's Ecclesiastes.
Like me, he also went through the phase of trying to phatom life and getting the missing piece. He sought wealth, fame, authority, influence, women and power. Unlike others, he was lucky to have it all. Yet he wasn't sure he's gotten it all.
In that book, he looked at his toils and achievements and declared them vanities; a mere chasing of the wind. That got me thinking. I must be on the right frequency with Solomon, except his excapades with the female species.
Going by him, wisdom, self-indulgence, living wisely, wealth and honor are all vanities. These, however, are what we daily seek, sometimes cheating, stealing and killing to get. Shame on us.
The news is daily filled with ridiculous discoveries and fraudulent tales of swindles, robberies, forgeries, and syphoning of public funds by political office holders while the youths are also not left behind in the whirlwind chase.
Cybercafes are daily filled with yahoo guys during the day, and at night, they are joined by female compatriots who sell the bodies given to them freely by God.
While the madness that we see as smartness continues, we forsake the essence we are in the world, our real reason for living.
Chapter 3 and verse 10 thru 15 of Ecclesiastes told us the responsibility God has saddled us with.
He wants us to be joyful and do good, no matter how small or big, as long as we live. Very simple? An evaluation of ones life will answer that.
As individuals, we should examine our actions, attitudes and interactions. We should weigh them on the balance of God's word and fairly judge ourselves.
Questions that should form our daily lives should include: what good thing have I done with the things and skills I've got? Who can look at me and remember a good thing I did for them? Am I joyous in the present situation God has placed me? Do I grumble when things fail to go at my preferred pace? How open am I to God's distruption of my plans?...
Many live their lives with eyes on preferred conditions. They long to be somewhere while forgetting the joy God wants them to have in their present situation. In their eyes, they are wiser, smarter, more serious, focused, and determined. To them their pace is God's but in God's eyes, they are just a stupid bunch of irresponsible and ungrateful idiots that will be cast into the lake of fire at the end.
It's not too late to retrace our steps and start living our lives God's way. A stitch in time...
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