I’ve noticed that most times, God doesn’t tell me stuff. He just takes me through the process and helps me see for myself.

When we pray to God for humility, he doesn’t stamp the spirit of humility on us, he takes us through situations that’d reveal our pride to us. Then he helps us to be humble.

The writer of Hebrews was talking about God being a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. What exactly does God reward us with? Lol. Himself. God rewards us with himself.

Moses broke the law the same day the law was given to him. It was yesterday at Bible Study that the Holy Spirit brought my attention to this. When you fail to obey the law, you break the law and Moses literally broke the law. This was God symbolizing how the law is not the way out. This was God showing us our need for Jesus. This was God saying you can’t do this by yourselves kids. The law shows us how much we need Jesus. Jesus then helps us to fulfill the law.

Some guy was asking on his WhatsApp status if some people were inherently evil. I replied that man is inherently evil. After the fall, every man became subjected to a crooked and evil nature (only those who believe in Jesus are righteous).

Then he said he’s never been evil. That he’s never wished anyone evil. Then, I said evil is not just murder and rape. Evil is selfishness. Evil is malice. So I asked him if he’s ever taken any selfish decision knowing full well that it’d affect others negatively. He didn’t have much to say again.

We all think we’re good people. We’re also not naturally inclined to admit that we’re wrong or not as good as we think. Nah. We’re perfect. The problem is always the other person or the government or God. It’s never us.

I’ve been making a lot of silly mistakes in discharging my duties as the PRO of my department and I’ve received both public and private jabs. Silly mistakes like writing the wrong date or forwarding messages to the wrong group.

The jabs don’t get to me one bit. As a matter of fact, one of the jabs was something I’d said before so I just laughed. See, God is not just building you to become a tongue speaking machine. He’s building to become human. A decent, polite and kind human. God does this by first showing you how you’re not half as good or as kind as you think.

You think you’re justified. You have reasons to back up your criticisms. You think you’re in the right place to point fingers. You call it being woke and active. Now, I know it’s being a fool and oh! I’ve been a fool for so long.

Dale Carnegie said in his book; how to win friends and influence people that any fool can criticize and most fools do. Things are never as simple as they seem. It’d make sense to give people more grace and be more understanding instead of critical. Make excuses for people. Give them the benefit of the doubt.

I’ve also realized that there are two kinds of mentor. There are the ones that try to protect you from every obstacle by shielding you and giving lots of advices. These ones categorically tell you want to do. They use their personal experiences as a standard to judge virtually everything. They do this because they care and it’s absolutely understandable and kind but let me show you another kind of mentor.

These ones are open minded. They share their experiences for you to learn from but they let you have yours. They don’t tell you what to do. They help you think. They suggest. They guide. They watch. They listen. They don’t mind letting you make your own mistakes because they know they’d be there when sheet hits the fan. This is God’s style.

Psalms 37 vs 23-24 says the steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: And he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: For the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

“Though he fall” his steps are ordered by the Lord but he might still fall. Is he falling because God is incapable of keeping him from falling? Leemao. Far from it. He’s falling because God orders, God guides but the man is responsible for his decisions.

Now, does God cast him away when he makes the wrong decision? Never. God upholds him with his hand.

What’s my point in all this? My point is, there’s a very thin line between overprotectiveness and witchcraft. I remember telling my Dad he was the reason why I couldn’t gain admission into the university. My Dad is a mother hen. Don’t do this. Don’t do that. In a bid to save us, he smothered us. In a bid to keep us safe, he broke our wings.

Don’t control people. Educate them. Don’t tell them. Teach them. Show them. Don’t try to save them from every mistake. Sometimes, let them fall. I know you want them to learn from your experiences but let them have theirs too. Let them live. Let them breathe. Instead of condemn, encourage.

I strongly believe that everyone is capable of change but I do not believe a man can change another man. God can use a man to change another man, yes. But God, is the keyword here. So instead of being pranoid and overprotective, pray for the people you care about. Pray for their hearts and give them all of your love.