THE PERSPECTIVE

“Because it has happened to others, don’t think it can’t happen to you.”

This statement is much familiar with a lot of people but the difference comes in the internalization of it. It’s actually hard to internalize such a statement when you put into context certain misfortunes and circumstances that meet people in this life. When you put the reality on the table and try to associate with it, most often it doesn’t add up- Sort of to say: 1+1= 11 and not 2 as we all know.

But why?

In the line of life; some are starting out, others are midway and some are almost there but none is there yet. The ability to see life in a wider perspective is to a larger percentage depended on one’s level of exposure to different life situations. Depending on where you are in the line of life, there could be tendencies to wrongly judge a situation that someone else is undergoing not knowing that it can equally come to you. 

At one time, Jesus told His disciples that, ‘’As long as you are in the world, you will face many troubles,’’ as if to say, ‘Troubles are inevitable.’  This therefore disqualifies anyone to shorten their lives for whatsoever trouble that meets them. There are those who are in a trouble that others just overcame and others are headed there.  At this point, it is important to note that some messes we deliberately get ourselves into however there are those which are beyond our own human control, they just come at a time unexpected. So, should we live in the fear of the unknown for the rest of our lives?

Living in fear was never meant to be our way of life however in the hustle and tussle of life, many have invited it in unconsciously. When corruption sets in and an individual acquires numerous wealth through oppression of the poor, widows and fatherless or through other easy-money acquisition schemes; fear begins to control the individual and a lot of energy is used to safeguard the wealth because the truth is, ‘Wealth gotten through dishonest means will be diminished’ (proverbs 13:11a). When an immoral person gets infected with sexually transmitted diseases, fear of premature death sets in inevitably. A married man/woman engaging in adultery becomes enslaved to the act and therefore lives in fear of losing a marriage of 10+ years because, ‘’Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant’’- (proverbs 9:17). The deceitfulness of all these engagements is that it does not give its victim a chance to reason and see the misfortunes that await until when it actually happens.

But what if it happens and you are innocent about it? In a twinkle of an eye, your hard earned wealth goes up in smoke… A person who has been careful about his/her health through healthy living goes down with a terminal illness… A marriage that has experienced tranquility since its inception suddenly ends…The list of misfortunes that meet people is endless. The question is,What explanation can you give to all these? 

In all these, faith guides our lives…When one hits a rock-bottom, the only way is up because there is no further downward. At the rock bottom the perspective widens and one realizes that it can actually happen to anyone. Some rock bottoms may be meant to change our ways & attitudes, others are for shaping us and others are for helping us rise higher.

What is the significance of your rock bottom?