Bless'ed are the meek

I have to say, I have been having the best time of my entire life here in Washington. I have had chats with some of the greatest people I have ever met and have been given the privilege and the honour of being mentored and advised by people that I would have otherwise never been able to talk to.

I have been given advice on how to succeed, come out on top and doing great things with your life.
But there has been a war going on in my mind over the past few weeks. And the big question around this war is “Who/Where do I get my direction and my guidance from?”

The world teaches us that we need to “Take our place at the table” and to “demand what you are worth” and more often than not, you hear the words “nice guys will always finish last”. The world promotes a huge level of independence and the concept of deciding your own destiny and mapping out your own life. It’s interesting really, especially because this kind of advice comes from people that are well established, successful, have ’made it’ in life and that is what has worked for them and that is how they have made it big in this world. And as a result, many of us will tend to accept that this is the way to get to the top. Another concept that the world is now promoting is that off people being self-promoters, self-sustainers and working to ensure your very own success and promotion.

All of these concepts, although they make a lot of sense are very foreign to me for two different reasons, the first reason being that they idea of self-promotion goes directly against the spirit of Ubuntu, it is rooted in an ideology of individualism. Ubuntu is something which I hold very dearly to my heart, it is the way in which I was brought up and groomed as a child, it is what my family has found their identity in for many years and it is the foundation upon which Africa was built in the first place. Ubuntu – which means a sense of community promotes success for everyone and not just ones-self. In Ubuntu, it is not just about you and your family, its more about you, your family, your friends, your neighbors and the rest of the community.

Another reason why these concepts are so foreign to me is because I am a child of God. In my heart I believe that God is the one who decides about my life. I was reading my bible yesterday and I came across the scripture that said 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth' Matt 5:5. Now the word meek means being Quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive: "the meek compliance of our politicians". And the synonyms of meek are gentle - mild - humble - submissive - tame – soft.
The world will tell you to take your place at the table and demand what you are worth... But the word says that if you are at a banquet, DO NOT take the seat of honour, for there may be someone more distinguished than you attending... What the world sees as the way to succeed and get ahead is often so different from what the word of God teaches.... I mean I listen to quotes saying 'your future is in your hands' or 'you are the creator of your destiny' or 'create your own identity'.... All of these things are not true, at least for me that is. My future is in the hands of God... God is the creator of my destiny... And I find my identity in God... Yes, I will work hard, I will grab the opportunities, I will live my life in a way that will serve the people around me, the people of South Africa and the world at large, but what actually comes out of it is all up to Jesus... He will make the final call... He will decide if I go Washington and New York, he will decide that Allan Gray will pay my fees; he will decide what career path I follow...

I believe in the depths of my heart that all I need to do is do all that I can to ensure a successful life for not only me, but my family and the many communities around me. I will spend all my days living up to my social-responsibility and taking every learning opportunity possible. But above and beyond all that, I know that God is control of my destiny and that I will do my part, definitely.