As a little boy, my dad used to say to me, “son, as you make your bed, so you will lie in it”.  I never quite understood what he meant then; but my father died when I was still a little boy, and not long after he died, I was faced with many painful realities of life. I found out pretty quickly that what my dad had been trying to say to me had absolutely nothing to do with a “bed”; rather, he was only trying to instill in me a simple virtue that I am the architect of my destiny. I must take responsibility for myself and for my actions in life! 

 

I had a choice after my father died, I could have waited for someone to take care of me, or find a way to take care of myself.  Based on what my dad had tried to instill in me, I chose the latter because I knew that in life no one owed me anything.  I had to lift myself up, and not wait for someone to do it for me. This is what is wrong with society today, i.e., everyone thinking someone owes them something!

 

Along the way, I faced many stumbling blocks and sorrowful moments, but I persevered and learned to have faith in Him at all times, not only when I was faced with difficult moments. I learned that life is like a puzzle; I must search for the many pieces to the puzzle and put them together to find out for what purpose He had ordained for me in life.  I do not have all the pieces yet but I know that Heaven helps those who help themselves, this is the reason I have never given up – I keep searching because I am not a quitter!

 

The problem in life is that everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to do what it takes to get to heaven. Being a Christian is not about memorizing every passage in the bible or sleeping in church everyday.  I believe Christianity is in the heart; it has a lot to do with how you relate to your fellow human beings. Do not be a pretender because He already knows who you are. On judgment day, He is not going to ask how much wealth or positions/titles you’ve accumulated; rather He would want to know how you used your wealth and/or title to help your fellow human beings. Remember, no condition is permanent; you could be up today and down tomorrow.  It is not what you do that defines you, it is who you are. Learn to treat your fellow human beings with respect and dignity because before Him, we are all equal.

 

So at this holiday season, resolve to lift yourself up and be thankful for everything you are fortunate to have. No matter what situation you find yourself, remember it could be worse. Stay focused and do not allow the distractions around you to hinder your purpose. Be a good ambassador for Him, because as we celebrate the birth of His only son who died so we may be cleansed of our many transgressions, He would expect nothing less from us. 

 

May this Holiday season bring peace and joy to you and your family.  May He turn your stumbling blocks into stepping stones, and your sorrows into joy.

 

From my family to yours, we say Merry Christmas and a very prosperous year in 2010 and beyond.

 

 

Michael N. Ebie

National President

Ika National Association, USA, Inc. 

Comments (0)

Print

Tell friend

Top

---