Showing posts with label Self motivation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self motivation. Show all posts

Friday, 20 April 2012

Humility is not a weakness.

I was chatting with two of my girlfriends some day, and the topic of our discussion was "What are some of the attitudes that God has dealt with in our lives?" One of us shared on how God has dealt with her pride and is still dealing with it.

You see, growing spiritually never gets to a point of  "I now know enough and am good in this area." It is a daily process and all you need to do is just to humble yourself before the Lord, and let Him point out any time the areas that needs more fixing. This girl believed/believes in herself extremely. Which is a great strength by the way but when it gets to a point whereby you cannot be corrected or you start looking down upon others, it becomes a weakness right there.

One funny incident of my friend's confessions that really made us laugh out loudly was when she was meant to be auditioned for some choir. So, the people in charge of the auditions asks her if she can sing and He! the girl was o-f-f-e-n-d-e-d big time. "What do you mean can I sing?" She thought to herself. As it was required therefore, she began singing with attitude just to prove that she can sing and this people seems to think she can not. In other words, to be auditioned was a way doubting her talent. She believed 110% that she could sing better. I mean, this was not going to be the first time for her to sing!

The obvious of the outcome was, Disqualified! The reason she was disqualified was not because she could not sing but because of pride that she had.

Since that time, it dawned on her that she was wrong. God began to deal with her thoroughly. She just realized that her pride was not going to take her anywhere.

Pride is one thing that God really hates. It was pride that made Lucifer (Satan) to be thrown down from heaven when he tried to exalt himself above God. Ezekiel 28:17 (NIV) "Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendour.So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings."

It is evident that no one has ever tried to uplift himself and succeeded. All who tried failed just like the story of the Tower of Babel in the Bible and so,1st Peter 5:6 says, " Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may in due time raise you up.

Whoever makes himself prominent will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be set high.

We serve a merciful God and of a second chance. All we need to do is just surrender. To come to that place where we can say, God am so sorry, I have tried to be the driver but ended up falling into a ditch and so, I need your help. It does not cost you anything to be sorry. It might be a process but God is always patient with us.

The prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 came back to His senses and decided to go and ask his father if could make him as one of his hired servants. see his words; Vs. 18 "I will rise and go to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I no longer deserve to be called your son; take me on as one of your hired hands." That is humility right there.Realizing and accepting your mistakes and knowing you need help.

Have you struggled with pride before? How did you deal with it? Encourage someone. 

or

Are you currently struggling with pride? Let us hear how you are willing to walk out of it in the comments section below.


Monday, 19 December 2011

What exactly defines a gentleman?


The new choice English dictionary defines gentleman as: A man of good family and social standing; a courteous; generous and honourable man; a polite term of address.


Now,as there is this saying in Swahili that says tembea uone mengi (travel to see a lot).hehe...I know that sounds like direct translation.Does it? but again its self explained anyway.

So, in my world and in the process of traveling, for sure I have seen a lot in regards to the definition above for a gentleman.In that case, I have been left wondering what is it that really defines a gentleman? and by the way,do you need to know me so that you can act like one? so that you can be courteous?


The beauty about blogging is that, I get to to let go of what/how I feel and somehow get relieved :-)

Here is one of my encounters with a not so gentleman guy.....but I don't blame him.Though, am going to use him as an example.

As I was walking home from work the other day , some guys who clearly looked like they were coming from a mjengo (construction site) happened to be coming behind me  and greeted me as they passed. Actually it was one of them who said hi. As usual, I did not keep quite (like some ladies do) when someone who does not know me says hello to me regardless of who it is.Though, it sometimes depends on how you approach me.

So, this guy after I have been nice to him by greeting him back, he started getting ideas of taking it further. This are guys who were walking faster while behind me,then after greeting me, they slowed their pace and the next thing he shamelessly tells me is, "madam uko smart, ni come for intro? " ("madam you look good, can I come for introductions?").Well at least he was a little courteous here to request. Then in my mind am thinking Ok! it has come to this now! off course I didn't answer.I decided to seal my lips and just ignore them because honestly!. The guy talks and talks but believe you me, I didn't even hear a thing of what he was saying.The only thing I remember is when he said, "madam na umesalimika tu poa, sasa umeanza kuringa? na vile unakaa mature.tumeona weeengi kwanza wa Lavi sasa wewe ndio nani?" ("madam and you responded well, now you have begun to feel proud? and the way you look mature. we have seen so many in fact those from Lavington so whom do you think you are?"). Lavington is another posh residential area over there near my place.

Let me tell you this got me into my nerves.But clearly, how do you even start giving this kind of a person a piece of your mind? But luckily we diverted ways.

Have you ever seen during rush hour when people are "fighting" to enter into a matatu (public transport) the way some men push women while they struggle to enter first? well,this happens mostly in Nairobi. I am not sure about other places though. This act really upsets me.How I wish all men were sensitive and treat women like princesses whether they know them or not. By the way,will you as a man do that to a lady you know very well? So why would you treat a stranger like that? It's a small world remember.You never know where we will meet the next time. 


To be courteous does not cost you anything.does it?

There are a couple of points that if I was a man, I would apply in my life so that every woman around me would feel appreciated,loved,cared for and most of all feel like she is a princess....


  • I will let her go through the door first whether I know her or not.
It's really impolite when a man forces himself to pass first.especially in a public transport.(this is where you  loose a lot of marks as a man).
  • I will share my umbrella.
Have you ever seen when its raining, and a guy has this big umbrella all by himself and a lady is being rained on? selfish!
  • I will not squash her in a bus/matatu.
It's really mean when a man seated next to a lady in a bus takes up almost all the space while sitting legs apart forcing her to seat on half a seat.shameless!
  • I Will help her to carry her luggage. 
When walking and you happen to see a lady struggling with her shopping,it is kind to just offer some help up to where you can.thank you :-)
  • I will handle her like a lady.
Now, have you ever seen when a man is handling a lady like as though she is another man? digress!  


And for you man who beats up a woman,worse is when she is not even your wife yet.how?! that's the ungentlemanly of the highest degree.anyway....that's a story for another day.


So, always remember that to be courteous is a virtue.won't you?