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Poverty, Satan and death have something in common. They are easy prey when it comes to picking a scapegoat. Fear and ignorance kill far more and far faster than death. Yet, every time someone dies, everyone blames death.
The person who resorted to suicide because of guilt or fear (for instance, of being found out) was not killed by death. Fallen heroes of murder and manslaughter were not killed by death. The confusion, though is worsened by obituary drafters who leave us wondering what killed the person they said died after a brief illness. Death suffers too much false accusation.
Satan too is in the same boat. Whenever someone falls into sin or crime and gets caught, fingers always point at Satan. Kidnappers, drug addicts and pushers, rapists, robbers and swindlers, when the day to face the music arrives, blame it on the devil. By now, I am sure the devil is tired of shouting himself hoarse, every day, that he is innocent.
The devil is innocent. In this world, nothing is impossible. The devil is not guilty of all that you accuse. Leave the devil out of your failings and failures.
It is the exact same permanent scenario that poverty finds itself. People blame even the most incredulous misdemeanours on poverty. We blame poverty when others treat us poorly. We blame poverty when we undervalue ourselves as either too weak or too scared to say enough is enough.
We blame poverty for our choices, for our corruption, for our defeat. We blame poverty for injustice, for kratocracy, for lack. We blame poverty for mediocrity, for nepotism, for sycophancy. We blame poverty for tumult, for war, for yoke.
We blame poverty for anything. We blame poverty for everything. We blame poverty for nothing. We blame poverty for something.
This or that happened to you, and all you do is sit around and blame poverty. Someone did or said something horrible to you and you grumble in blame of poverty. There’s not one of us who did not at some point blame poverty for something that it had no hand in. But, what’s poverty?
As this writer sees it, it comes in many shades. Poverty of the mind is when you lack class, contentment, courage, education, respect, etc. Poverty of the pocket is what it is. Poverty of the soul is being poor in spirit.
Poverty of the mouth is inability to keep the tongue in check. Poverty of the eyes is a deficiency in the quality of what you see; you never see well. Poverty of the hand simply speaks to stinginess while poverty of the heart means one has no love; one is a hater. So, which version is involved per time; when you blame poverty?
The answer is both all and any. If something happens or somebody says or does stuff to you and you react by saying that it is because you are poor, you are really a poor person all-round. It is silly self-pity to internalise or validate disrespect or injustice or mistreatment. It is a lack of self-esteem that has nothing to do with wealth in whatever form.
Really, everyone is poor or poverty-stricken in some sense. Let us say that in another way. There is not one human being alive who does not suffer one form of poverty or the other. Presidents, kings, governors et al live in splendour but there’s a thing or two that they don’t have nor can afford.
Think about it. Also, there is none so poor who is not wealthy one way or the other. Your mind goes readily to parents (especially mothers), teachers, mentors, priests, and sundry models of life who generally have very little money, fame and opportunities but are so rich in belief, love, patience, quality and sacrifice enough to in time produce super rich wards. Please stop blaming poverty.
Everyone is poor. People are always going to utter or do hurtful things. It may be their nature or your lot in life. Life is like that; so stop blaming poverty.
And, it is not poverty that makes you beggarly or fearful or greedy or sycophantic or weak. You are just stupid. Many people who are poor in money are super rich in self-restraint, and vice versa. Today, learn being bold, learn being content and learn being thankful.
Measure your response, when it’s the right and acceptable time, to fire back. Don’t dwell on it, after the deed is done. Be classy the day you want to prove that two can play the game. Never blame poverty or yourself the very few times you want to answer nonsense head-on.
Always remember that blaming poverty or the devil makes you weak. It is a puerile stratagem. Own up, man up and rise to the occasion, when it’s the opportune moment. Always, never forget you are too rich and too blessed in all areas to ever blame poverty!
God bless Nigeria!
Do you follow football?
You should. You must. I mean, you cannot be alive and not be a football player or fan.
So many things in and about football teach us fundamental life lessons. No, please, leave VAR out of this. I don’t want 10 points deducted from me just like that.
Think about the immense powers of the referee. Think also about the small but mighty whistle, not forgetting the ball (just one round leather) being pursued like robot by 22 sane human beings. Think finally about the goal when it’s scored and the alarming celebration that greets it every time.
Two nursery schools played a friendly. Junior, just aged 4, captained one of the teams which conceded two useless goals: one in the dying minutes of the first half and the second with barely 10 minutes to go. Everybody in his team was downcast thinking they had lost; except Junior.
Miraculously, against the run of play, the precocious Captain Fantastic stepped up and within eight minutes grabbed a brace. He followed up with a winner via a blinding header from close range during added time. The crowd could hardly wait for the final whistle before dashing into the field to carry Junior shoulder-high.
At the end, one journalist asked him why he kept believing they would win. Junior said that was because his father being too he referee, he knew he won’t end the match without his son’s side winning. That’s how believers should believe God.
No matter how many goals the devil scores in the first half, he had better rejoice cautiously. The second half is coming. And, God can add even 45 extra minutes.
Beware!
