LIFE LESSONS ~ Precious Victor Akah

 

I was watching a Sports Channel one day on TV and, one of the top football players in the world was being showcased. I was filled with curiosity and wondered what's really special about this footballer because they were communicating in a language I don't perfectly understand; and prior to this time, though I've seen him a couple of times on TV and my husband has mentioned his name a few times, I didn't know he was one of the top football players in the world, because I'm not so much into football. So, I had to research about him on the internet that day and then I found out who he really is. I admired how much wealth, prestige and eminence his skill had brought him at such a young age.

When my husband came back from work, I told him about the guy and the fascinating things I found out about him, he asserted that the guy is a skilled and highly paid footballer. In his own words, "He is very good, a top football player and he is paid so much money, but he is proud. The moment I heard the last statement, "but he is proud", the admiration I had for him went from hundred to almost zero percent in a flash, because my husband is an honest person who is very careful with his words. If he says something about someone to me, it is exactly how it is. I still admit that this young footballer is a skilled and highly paid player, but I'm neutral about him presently.

And you know what, this is exactly how many of us abhor pride and wouldn't admire anyone who is proud no matter the achievements they've made or their good looks. I'll share another story to further buttress this.

I watched a real life programme shared on YouTube. A man impregnated a lady, she gave birth and told the man about the child and the need for him to take responsibility for his upkeep. The man denied the child, saying he is not the father, and so the lady took him to a paternity court to prove her case. 

The judge asked the man if he was responsible for the pregnancy, he said he is not, because he believes what he had with the lady wasn't serious and was short-lived. He just flirted with her at their workplace and slept with her once in a car, according to him. He also accused the lady of being sexually intimate with other guys, and not just him alone. To this accusations, the lady began crying and straight up said he was lying and explained to the court how their relationship went, how many times they had sex, how he is the only man she had slept with the period they were dating, and how she knows the man is the biological father of her child.

The man kept lying and denying absolutely everything the lady was saying because his main girlfriend (who already has two kids for him) was also in the courtroom and he didn't want his girlfriend to doubt him or leave him. But in the end, guess what, the DNA result proved that he is the biological father of the lady's child, and he was overwhelmed with shame; the girlfriend cried profusely out of hurt and disappointment.

Now what's in this story to learn? When the lady was narrating her own side of the story, the man lambasted her and kept rolling his eyes with a conspicuous proud look, with his hands in his pockets, in an attempt to disprove what the lady was saying. His demeanor was practically oozing out so much pride that the judge had to humble him by giving him a stern warning to stop being cocky (because she won't believe he is telling the truth and the lady is lying) with his overbearing attitude.

When the case was finalized, I was moved to go through the comments of people to see what they thought or said about this man, because his pride was smelling so strong that I was really repelled. I had really wished before the DNA result was read that he is the father of the child so he could bear the consequences of his pride, and believe me, even the judge was extremely glad the DNA result proved that he is the father of the child.

In the comment section, almost everyone spoke badly about the man and his visible pride. They literally ran him down in the comments section. Some persons even began to criticize his look. I mean, this man obviously knew he had messed up, but instead of coming out clean and being honest to everyone in the courtroom and to his girlfriend, he tried to save his face from shame and ridicule, and attempt to preserve his dignity and respect by lying. But what was the end result? He lost his dignity and respect and was completely covered with shame and ridicule that will take a very long time to dissipate.

If he had confessed the truth and acknowledged his wrong before the court when the judge demanded for his honesty, he may experience some shame, but that shame will eventually fade off in no time by his honesty and repentance. His dignity and respect sure would have been preserved. Because what people know and realize is that anyone can make mistakes, but they'll only respect you for acknowledging your mistake and trying to make things right. If you try to deny your mistakes however, when it is glaring that you're in the wrong, you end up losing respect from people and eventually suffer shame and ridicule for a long while.

So, I want you to take two things from these two stories I shared today: 

1). You'll receive more in life, and get more from God and from people by being humble. 

2). When you know you've messed up, don't try to immediately save yourself from shame; rather, acknowledge your wrong, admit it, tell the truth, and seek forgiveness and repentance.

There is dignity in telling the truth. If you lie to protect your dignity, you end up losing it to dishonesty. Telling the truth might attract brief shame, but in the end, you gain respect from people and ultimately approval from God.

Lastly, I want to use this opportunity to invite you to Jesus Christ if you're reading this and you've not yet accepted Jesus. It is pride that hinders many people from coming to Jesus Christ and submitting to Him. Don't let pride hold you back. Free yourself from its stronghold by receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior today. The end result of pride is destruction. Pride eventually destroys those it possess. You'll not be destroyed in Jesus' Name. Please say YES to Jesus today. You're loved by God. Come to Him, come now. His love will satisfy you and make you whole and give you a life worth living and relishing.

Come to Jesus today.

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