KNOWING WHAT TO DO!!!!

There is no point cutting a large chunk of meat into little pieces with a blunt knife, when by sharpening the knife, your work is faster and you save energy…..but wait, what if you did not know that the knife could be sharpened? You just keep struggling with the task, when it is as easy as sharpening the knife. That is how lack of not knowing what to do can be for us. Your life becomes complicated, you become confused and you may be running around in circles because you do not know the right thing to do. Knowing what to do is wisdom and not knowing is why you are running around in circles.

Ecclesiastes 10:15

The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

Proverbs 4:7

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

I read this verse some days back and then two words came to my mind; Rat race and Wisdom. Then I started wondering how these can be related even though wisdom is the major thought of this whole write up.

Rat race can be like running around in cycles, you just get exhausted and you have achieved nothing you just run around in cycles without leaving the same position. It can be likened to activity without progress or struggling without results or proofs.

What about wisdom? Wisdom the Bible says is the principal thing. It is the right application of knowledge in moral and spiritual matters. This goes to say that if a man doesn’t k now what to do, it would be a case of lacking wisdom. Wisdom is getting the right info, breaking the knowledge down and understanding then right application. Simply put, Wisdom is the right application of what you understand from what you know.

The link between wisdom and rat race is getting clearer now. Not knowing what to do at a particular point in time can result in someone running around in circles.   There has to be first, a hunger for the right information. When you have the right information, it is what we call knowledge.  For information to be right, it must be correct, progressive because knowledge is progressive. It has to be in accordance with what is good, proper. It must be solution-oriented and appropriate. It has to be something that meets your needs, a way to help you out of your predicament, challenge or what ever.

 When you now have the right information, you must not be in a hurry to begin doing it or rush through pages, you must understand it well. Break it down correctly into small bits. This is what UNDERSTANDING means. Until you understand, it cannot translate to right application. Until it is the applied rightly there is no wisdom, just as it is not enough to have the right information….the crux of the whole grammar is in doing. It is in right application you get a solution. Success is in problem – solving.

THE PRINCIPAL THING

That is why the Bible says that wisdom is the principal thing and with all your getting, whatever you are getting in this life, you must get understanding. There will not be meaning to anyone’s life if we run around not knowing the right thing to do. It is not just doing anything but the right thing. The race of this world is for those who can finish, you have a race to run and you need wisdom to run your race to the finish line. You need wisdom, knowing what to do at a particular point in time, so that you are not running in another man’s lane or running the opposite direction, the truth is, you must run your race and you must be determined to win the race. The Bible tells us in I Corinthians 9: 24 to run that we may obtain because obtaining for winners.  Wisdom is the only way out of the trial and error life. As human beings, trying and trying is easier said than done, it takes wisdom for you to pick important lessons from mistake because if you do the same thing over and over again, in the same way you did it, you will be getting the same result and you have not learnt anything from your previous failures. Besides, you do not have forever to live a trial and error life.

Wisdom is the principal thing and it better than money. When people operate in wisdom, they have speed and it is almost like they are some super humans, like their lives are so easy. They have a solution-oriented approach to problems. People who operate in wisdom are leaders. For you to operate in wisdom, the life of knowing what to do, when to do it, you must have hunger for knowledge. The hunger to know and you match it up with action. 

ANOITING

If you are a Christian and you went to church, you were anointed, it is not for you to run away from problems live a life of confusion but the anointing helps you to walk in wisdom.  There are challenges in your personal life that you are facing but because you don’t know what to do, you just sit there confused operating in the trial and error life believing one way, things will definitely work out. How long can you can you wait? Anoiting is for problem-solving.

 A lot of us are eager for solutions ready-made ones, the reason why you are confused. You are so dependent on fast-solutions, the experts, you never take the time to know and understand, and you want things solved so easily. The truth is when you know and understand your challenges; you are in a better place to proffer solutions. When you know how to get a challenge solved, you are a better person because you would have learnt something. Next time, you response will be better. Wisdom is very important and everyday; we must continually seek it from God because it is the principal thing in life. When you know the right thing to do and you apply it, you’ll experience speed and grace. The spirit of toiling and strife has over taken many in the world. The feeling that you have to suffer for everything, which the world is all about suffering and the type that wears you out. Nothing good comes easy but wisdom does more for you because God did not create you to suffer. Believe it and resist the temptation to think so. Your life is made to be progressive, not to run around in circles, to suffer all the days of your life.

 A man of wisdom is a man of understanding. When you understand issues thoroughly, you can solve and move on to something else. This is the time for you to rise again and stop managing your mediocre, self-pity, angry life. It is not about anger, envy or self-pity; it is all about knowing what to do. The right thing to do and when you should be doing it. Be tired of running around in circles, desire progress and stop making excuses for your average life. If you do not like where you are now, it is time to look inside, ask yourself what next. Do not just sit there feeling so confused,getting lost in the crowd for every problem, no matter how complicated, there is a solution and wisdom helps you figure that out.

HOW?

To get wisdom, ask God…..be hungry. Let God see your heart and your hunger… He never fails. He is the author of wisdom. You can also learn from other people from books and other valuable resources. Do not be a one-man army, be eager to learn.

THE DEATH OF ORIGINALITY: Speaking your own language

I like J’odie, Omawumi because they are original. So is my love for Asa and Dagrin. I love Classic FM 97.3 Lagos because there is nothing like it. You will hear songs you will not hear anywhere else in Nigeria, I can bet on that.

Many presenters in the media houses around here are so taken by their supposed “American” and “British” accents. Many musicians are so dying to get the Beyonce factor, the Rihanna sexy behaviour, sing like Mariah Carey, rap like Lil’ Wayne, Jay Z and everybody says they have got some swagger….and am wondering who are these people? Since they are trying hard to be like someone?  I thought we are supposed to learn from them, get inspired but never loose our sense of individuality? I won’t be surprised if someone starts dressing up like Lady Gaga walking down my streets. Every other lady rocks lace wig and Brazilian, they all have BBs, so it is understandable what trends mean. Little wonder, I see a lot of BEZs on my street and at auditions, all the young guys sagging their jeans because it seems like a huge trend…just wondering what happened to being original?

Many people are for the successful ventures, nobody wants to test the new grounds, once someone invents something and it works, you can be sure that the rest of Lagos will be unto it. You watch music videos and movies; it is like the same thing. Similar lyrics, beat, dress code, dance style……it is all so common. The radio stations are playing the same thing, it is so boring. Don’t you just like it when you hear JayZ, you just know it has to be JayZ and if it is not him, we just say, oh! This guy raps like JayZ; all because JayZ has defined his own style and it has stuck right inside our heads. When you hear Tu-Face, you know who it is. That is what originality is all about, It is why many people love Beyonce, Madonna, Lil’Wayne, Akon and all those who stand for originality. The world is in need of originality. If God wanted us to be copy-cats he would not have given us different finger prints.

Originality rocks and keeps you ahead of the pack.

-         Instead of spending time and resources duplicating Christian Audigier Ed Hardy T-shirts, take a cue and make yours.

-         We all cannot be so into that Brazilian hair and BB fever…. If you must have them, make sure it is not a bandwagon effect.

-         Short dresses or hugging clothes are not for you because it does not work for all figures.

-         Don’t catch the pencil heels fever, it is not for everyone.

-         Your lyrics must not be about girls especially naked ones and your beats must not follow the band wagon.

-         Stop sagging your jeans; it gives you no sense of style.

-         Stop forcing the American or British Accent, it makes you so fake and listening to you or watching you is so boring.

-         Don’t jump at that business because it looks lucrative

The earlier you know it the better for you…..the news is, you can only copy, you cannot be them, so take your cue and build your own brand. We already have them and we are so into them already…..we want something new and we want your brand. You can copy all you like; it will never get you anywhere. Whatever the success, it will be short lived…you will always be like them…oh she sings like Madonna.

A close friend told me how he lost a race in his secondary school days because he wanted to run a particular style copying someone. The funny thing about it was that he was ahead of the rest half way into the race but because he decided to copy, swing his arms like the other guy who was then the fastest guy, he lost the race and finished last. If he had ran at his own pace, his own style, he would have won first prize for his house and ended up as the new fast guy in school but he gave that away all in a bid to copy someone because he thought it would make him run faster. What he did not know them was that, it was a natural thing for the other guy and he never even took notice that he ran that way. So it is with all these original stars. They are doing what they love in their own original style and that is why they are stars. You have to believe in what you can do and do it well, that makes you original. Why it takes you so much time and effort to copy someone, it comes naturally to them and it is effortless.

Even when we hear everyday that originality is important and it gives you an edge, people still prefer to copy. That is why we have a lot of counterfeit products in the market. People just enjoy copying, everybody is conforming, and those who the society labels as rebel go on to become stars. The uncommon road is not an easy route but if you believe in something, then you should go for it. You must not dress like everyone dress, buy what they buy, sing like them to believe you are somebody. Right where you are, just as you are…..all you need to do is groom yourself better, brand yourself, with patience, persistence….you too can be a star.

It is better people hate for being original than them praising you for acting Lady Gaga so well. You will continually be in their shadow. It is why they encourage winners of talent hunt to write their own songs and do their own style. This is life, you must run your own race and you must finish it. You can be slow as a snail, if that is your style but the important thing is that you finish. You may not be able to run as fast as Usian Bolt or swag like Rihanna, the point is in you finishing as you. Never loose your individuality. There are so many people in the world and God created us uniquely, run with who you are…..be yourself…nothing more, nothing less. Be original, speak your own language.