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There’s always the chance that the best plans could go wrong. A well-laid plan could be truncated by circumstances beyond your control; that’s what lawyers call force majeure (an unavoidable catastrophe, especially one that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation).
Therefore, when you are planning your projects, make allowance for alternatives, what is popularly called back-up plans. There’s always a margin of error in any theory, prophecy, projection, postulation or idea. Most plans seem good on the surface, but natural disaster, government policies, wars, etc, may disrupt the best of plans. Many people insure their businesses against unexpected disasters because of unforeseen circumstances. So, you must learn from that.
In this part of the world, we tend to spiritualise everything. Some may argue that the back-up plan is lack of faith. But universal application of biblical principle of faith, which opposes alternatives when demanding something from God, is unwise. We must always know where to draw the line between spiritual and secular matters. You do not expect a soccer team to come on the field of play without reserve goalkeepers and other key players on the bench. That’s contrary to the standard rules of the game of soccer.
Sport is a secular activity and must, therefore, run on its laid down rules, not on spiritual principles. The Bible rule of faith cannot apply to certain secular matters. It is foolish, for instance, to expect to win a game or defeat a prepared opponent, when you only bank on faith without preparation. Many Nigerian teams go to major sporting events without sufficient preparation, thinking that prayer and fasting would give them victory over well-funded, highly organised opponents. Of course, we always end up being walloped by better prepared opponents who didn’t even pray.
The back-up plan is the wisdom of the world in dealing with circumstances beyond human control. Faith is the divine ability to believe that God can control all circumstances to produce a favorable outcome. The world doesn’t reason like that, and we can’t force everyone to believe that “all power belongs to Jesus.” So, we must have a back-up plan. Never put all your eggs in one basket. That’s conventional wisdom.
That’s not saying God doesn’t interfere in the affairs of men. Of course, He does. But when you are dealing with secular situations, which involve others who do not have your kind of faith or even reckon with your religious beliefs, you must plan and do things the way they understand.
Whatever it is you are working on, be it a project, business, an election into an office, a wedding, anything at all, make alternative plans to back up your main plan because people and circumstances can fail you.
It may interest you to know that even God has back-up plans in certain circumstances, when dealing with humans, because people are not perfect. Men are unreliable. God is the Creator of the world and all that is in it. He, however, decided to commit His oracle to the Israelites, His chosen people, who were expected to evangelise the world. When the Israelites failed, He went to the gentiles, like you and I.
From the foregoing, you could see that we (gentiles) are God’s back-up for the plan of global salvation when Israel failed. When Moses died, Joshua his back-up, replaced him as the leader. Therefore, in practical terms, God Himself uses back-ups. It is sensible to have spare tyres, spare parts, jack, when you have a vehicle. Even we humans, God gave us certain key organs in pairs. We have two legs, two hands, two eyes, two kidneys, and two lungs, so that, if we lose one, the other keeps us alive.
In business, you should have more than one income stream. If one business is not doing well, the other may be doing well. You should have a back-up in most things you do. Nations have back-up leaders in vice presidents, deputy prime ministers, etc. If the boss dies, the deputy takes over. Therefore, after you have done your best in putting together a plan, commit it to God. However, have other plans, in case men fail, as they often do.
Every champion goes into a game with back-up plans, in case the opponent frustrates their original game plan. If you operate on a single plan without a back-up, you are in danger, because you are leaving things to chance. When I make plans, I have plan A, plan B, and plan C. All can’t fail at once.
However, every theory has an exception. You do not have back-up plans for a spouse, in case your partner fails. That’s never done. You may have back-up children by having four or five, in case you lose one or two. But it is wrong to have a back-up wife or husband. That’s infidelity. You go into a marriage believing that it would bode well for you and your partner. There are things you don’t back up. You worship only ONE God. You do not have an alternative god. Anything that requires total loyalty, singularity and commitment cannot be backed up. You must know where to draw the line.
Weekend Spice: The man who lives in the realm of the senses is unable to understand the things of the spirit – E.W. Kenyon
Ok folks, let’s do it again next Friday. Stay motivated.
Ayodeji is an author, rights activist, pastor and life coach. He can be reached on [email protected] and 09059243004 (SMS only)
