Childlike... Wide Eyed
We should come to a place
where we aren’t moved by certain things. A place where we are Lords of things,
and not subjects of these luxuries/things. Paul learned to abound and abase….
Doesn’t mean we should want to stay in a destitute place in the name of
religion… that’s religion.
Christ said to be child like
in our faith…. That is, trusting Him blindly right? We have heard that being
preached time and time again.
When I was much younger, I got the opportunity to travel to a certain ‘hostile’
country in Asia. I was in the company of a serving head of state’s son and his two nephews,
a serving minister’s daughter, the governor of the central bank of Nigeria’s
son, a top air force officer’s daughter, a past head of state's (who’s presently
the president) daughter, an oil mans daughter, and a secretary to a state
government’s son… I was the ‘least’ in the group when it came to positions of
parents, my mum was ‘merely’ a
commissioner, and I wasn’t even to be in that group but for the insistence of a
certain governor who put me instead of his son(favors been working for me) But
was I intimidated? No! Did I try to suck up to them? No!
I really didn’t care in that
way that gets you insecure and hot and bothered and trying to prove yourself.
We were flown in the
presidential jet, it felt good, but I wasn’t especially out of this world
wowed.
We received VVIP treatment on
the trip because we had the head of state of a powerful nation’s child… Ambassadors
hosted us; the foreign minister of the nation we visited courted us, and all
the way it was courtesy and grace dished out to us.
On our way back to Nigeria, we
had the chance to spend time in Paris, but I was in the group that objected
vehemently, we just wanted to go home, I just wanted my mummy. Home, where the
sheets weren’t five star hotel classified. Home where breakfast wasn’t a spread
of all things glorious (and then back to the room to have some kilishi and
garri, because what is this life without garri?)
I had my dairy where I
documented those nice moments in, but all I wanted to do was go home. I wasn’t
impressed by the ‘banquets’ the ambassador prepared for us… I was more
interested in using his phone to call home. I wasn’t moved by the hotel meals
in two of the countries we stayed in… but I loved the shopping.
We got back to Nigeria at
night after two weeks away from home and had the presidential jet waiting to
whisk us from Lagos to Abuja… VVIP right? We got to the presidential villa and
I refused to come down to greet the president and his wife, I stayed back in
the bus because I was sleepy and I just wanted to go home… so I dozed in the
bus while some others came down.
That was a beautiful time I
had. Thinking about it now, I’m wowed by all I experienced, I was barely a teen
then. If it happened today?
I would take selfies with the
president’s son… I would post things about the jet and show myself shaking
hands with foreign leaders. Show off the gifts we got. Do an insta-story on the
grand hotel and grand receptions we got. As much as social media was so far off
in the day of my experiencing this, I had a camera and I didn’t even think of
taking pictures in the presidential jet… I didn’t see a reason to. I took some
vital pictures but not half as much as I could have. I didn’t see why I should
suck up to boys; I was at an age where boys weren’t a big deal. No thought of finding a way of becoming the president's daughter-inlaw. lol
I didn’t care about the food;
I munched on kilishi every chance I got.
As children of God, these grand
things, that really are just little things shouldn’t floor us. Enjoy them, but
don’t let them lord over you… fly first class and private if you may, but don’t
let it determine how good you feel about yourself as a child of God.
I’m in that place where I
want to learn to do just that because God knows, I’m outside that mindset of
where I was then. If I’m in a private jet now, not just any, but Nigeria’s own
presidential jet, I would post pictures, not just because I want to give
information… but because I want to show off (I’m being honest here) I may
caption it with a deep quote, but you’ll know as much as I do that I’m rubbing
it in your face, especially you, yes you, I really posted it for just you to
see… eat this… I’m onboard, and hey look, that’s a selfie with the first son, we’re on
bestie levels.
I would rush into the presidential
villa before the invite is given and take even more pictures with the head of
state and his wife, even if I was tired (because in Nigeria, meeting with men
in authority somehow translates to cash gifts)… I’ll be so moved by the food
and the ambassadorial treatment, you’d hear all about it.
But that’s because my mind is
small and has refused to comprehend my kingship, that even though this isn’t my
normal life, I should expect this things and not be so overwhelmed by it that I
loose myself.
You enjoy it, but it really doesn’t
matter that much.
Posting about your life isn't bad. It
entertains us. :) Its fun. But it all depends on the foundation of your
mindset... is it to pepper them enough to envy you? meaning your
situation in that moment defines you? Like I said, it is a lesson to self as well.
I was in a luxury car in London recenlty(not pictured). It was so nice to be chauffer driven, and i desperately wanted a picture in it... it was a picture of the movies, the lifestyle, and here I was having a taste of it. I didnt get the picture because... well becasue i realized just how crazy and shallow it sounded. It was going to be a picture where i would pretend I didnt care, it was my everyday reality, it was no big deal... but it was, and what would happen after the hour or two of living the life faded?
I saw a quote somewhere that
resounds with this ”detachment is not
that you should own nothing, but that nothing should own you”
“Real joy is not found in what we own but living for
the right purpose”- Joyce Meyer.
A child is wired to understand what mama Joyce
says. That’s why a child would delight with a gift you give, but be sober
because as much as they love it, all they want to do is go out and play with Jane….
Well that’s the kids in my day, now kids hardly go out to play. But that child
delights in his purpose more than the gifts. His purpose to play and just be
wide eyed and mystified by simple things like fireflies and dolls and sand and
tickles and asking endless questions that pop up in their minds.
Are you delighting in the
material gifts more than your purpose? Enjoy those things, live to the fullest…
but don’t get lost in it. Let your purpose be before you, and when those
benefits are added to you, delight in them, don’t drown in them.
The songwriter says may we
never lose our wonder… "wide eyed and
mystified, may we be just like a child, starring at the beauty of our king." –
Wonder by Bethel music.
Don’t loose your authentic wonder
in the artificial wonder the world presents to you.
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