27/11/2019
Lessons learned.
STORIES FROM HIGH PLACES
THE VOICE OF THE OLDER SIBLINGS
A young, energetic man who lost both parents at an early age, saw himself through school by working on people’s farms, fetching water and doing other menial jobs. He was the twelfth of thirteen children.
After school, he relocated to the city in search of greener pastures. He worked with many organizations as well as institutions until he acquired a job as a driver with a cocoa processing company.
One day while driving home from work with the company vehicle, he saw an elderly man who had an issue with his car and had parked by the road side. This young man parked the company car and approached the elderly man. Without any knowledge or skills in auto-mechanic, he tried working on the car and to his surprise, the issue was fixed and the car started.
The elderly man gave him his business card and asked him to call him later that day. Little did he know that the elderly man was a retired Brigadier General of the Army.
Later that day, the young man called the number and the elderly man asked him if he would be interested in being enlisting into the army with his recommendation. The young man was surprised because he had always admired the army uniform and quickly responded saying “yes sir, I would be honored”.
Later that year, the young man graduated from the Armed Forces Academy and was posted to the same city where he had relocated to. He still kept in touch with the elderly man and had a very good relationship with him. Through hard work and determination, the young man gained promotion even above his mates and attained the rank of a CSM (Central Supervision Major), the youngest to attain that rank at the time.
He had opportunities to work with the UN and go on peace keeping missions in different countries and he made a lot of connections. He got married to a very beautiful young lady and they had four wonderful children together.
This young man had now become an army major and he returned home to his siblings as God had blessed him. He decided to extend a helping hand to his family. Upon his return, he told his brothers that he was going to be responsible for their own children, including catering for their school fees and anything else that had to do with their welfare.
He honored his word, just as he had promised. This continued for some number of years to the extent that he could do anything for his extended family, because he loved them so much..
As time went on, his older siblings became jealous of him and all that he had. They suddenly decided that it was an insult for their younger brother to take care of them and the entire family, so they planned to kill him and take over his possesions so they could each take care of their children themselves.
They had a sickly sister who died out of medical negligence and they sent word to this army major. He left for the village to bury their sister. Little did he know that journey was going to be his last.
When he arrived the village, the funeral was successful. But at a family meeting they had after the funeral, his brothers poisoned his drink.
Upon returning home to his family, just at the gate of his house, he started spitting out blood and collapsed. His wife was notified and she quickly rushed him to the hospital, where he was admitted for medical screening.
Early the next day, he passed away and the sad news reached his family. Even before he died, while at the hospital, his siblings had already gone to the house to claim ownership of his properties, but to no avail.
The elderly man, i.e. the retired brigadier general was later informed about the death of this young man and he ensured that this gentleman was given a befitting burial as a Soldier.
Two years later, the older siblings who did this evil to their younger brother started fighting amongst themselves, over land and over the killing of the young man. One of them said to the oldest, “after making us kill him, we didn’t even get the properties, if he was still alive, at least he would be meeting our needs. Now that he is dead, there is no one to help us. This caused a certain unrest amongst the siblings and one of them decided to confess to the late man’s wife.
After he confessed to the man’s wife, he mysteriously fell sick and died. The rest of the siblings were on their way to the annual festival which was held in their village, the car they occupied was involved in a fatal accident and they all died.
LESSONS:
1. You don’t determine your background but can influence and determine your future.
2. Be kind to people for no reason. The profound purpose for most of the blessings God gives us is to be a blessing to others.We are merely custodians of those blessings.
3.Never disregard an opportunity to be of help to anyone. Even if it is simple words of encouragement.
4. We always have to guard our hearts from all forms of wickedness.
5. There is punishment for every act of wickedness.
6. Help finds us in different places and in different ways, don’t despise the source of your help.
7. Never pay a single act of kindness with evil.Never bite the hands that fed you.
8. Jealousy and envy is poison to the soul.
Harboring them destroys one’s soul.
9. Evil cannot be hidden forever. Everything is bare in the eyes of God.
10. The fact that you started early doesn’t mean you’ll arrive earlier. Live humbly, appreciate and celebrate those who arrive earlier than yourself. It will be your time sooner or later.
11. There are seasons for everyone. Time and chance happens to us all.
