Thought-provoking

A friend posted this on Facebook this morning, and it's a rather instructive read. Enjoy.

When I was an undergraduate, I knew a fellow who was studying to be an engineer. I resented him bicos his Grade Point Average was so high; he never scored less than 95% in any of his courses; when we shared a table during physics practical his measurements were so precise, his readings were so accurate, and his writing was so beautiful that he scored a 99A on the course. While I struggled through school, this guy seemed to glide to a first class, and I hated him. I hated him bicos I would study for long hours, wrestling with my textbooks and trying to make sense of my notes, while he had time to join a drama troupe, play football for the school, and attend events in school…and still maintain a 4.99 cGPA! I remember I used to pray to God to give me his kind of talent so that I could score high too, but my grades just seemed to remain below average.
A few years later I found out that this guy whom I hated so much for being a genius, had to repeat 2 classes in primary school for being slow. I also found out that after the 1995 JAMB exams, while we were at home playing around and waiting for admission, he was in school studying his brother’s notes and textbooks, solving test questions and attending classes like he was a student. By the time we started our 100 levels, this guy had solved every math, physics and chemistry problem in all the textbooks, and past questions from previous exams…up to 20 years ago! So in essence, what was new work to us was merely revision for him.
Many times in life we look at successful people and wish we were like them. We tell ourselves that those doing better than us are “talented” and “gifted” and “blessed”. But while this may be true in some cases, I have found that most of what we call “talent” is just hard work, dedication and focus. The grace of God is there to help us do our work…not do our work for us. The blessings of God are there to empower us to get wealth…not make us lazy. 2 Timothy 2:15 reminds me that for me to be approved, then I must study. Success is never a fluke my friends, the person you are today is the person you were preparing to be 5 years ago. So this new year, let us set our goals with Proverbs 22:29 in mind, and be like my friend whom I once resented, but now respect and appreciate so much. Happy New Year