The Seven Stages to Greatness: Stage 1 — SUBMISSION

My friend’s driver came to my office and asked for a job. I asked him what he did that got him sacked, but he said he was tired because he argued a lot with his boss’s wife. He said she was too picky and was tired of working within that kind of environment.

I empathised with him and told him we had a vacancy for the driver position, but we were pickier. In our job, we will expect him never to resume later than a certain time, he will be expected to dress in a certain way all the time, we do not tolerate arguments between subordinates and their bosses and a few things I mentioned.

Afterwards, I told him to think again and let me know where he would be a better fit; the present job he wanted to run from or the office job with all the conditions I listed. Your guess may be as good as mine 😁.

I was in my 3rd year at the University (the year 2003) when a dear friend gifted me an audio message from Bishop T.D Jakes titled ‘THE SEVEN STEPS OF A GREAT MAN.’ When I was done listening, I made sure I never remained the same. Even in a country like Nigeria, where normal things sometimes have abnormal results, the principles worked.

The teaching was from the Bible but applied to circular life, yielded super results.

Have you noticed that when you first get enrolled in an army, the first thing you learn before anything else is Submission?

In the army, they tell you when to get up. You are given what to eat, told how to stand, what to wear, where to report to, etc. The popular slogan for soldiers in Nigeria is “OBEY BEFORE COMPLAIN”. I have learned that submission teaches us how to be great under authority.

When individuals pass the test of submission, you find that leaders, teachers, coaches, etc., certify them ready to be taught and impacted with other forms of knowledge.

Since I was young and now old, I have never seen any teacher interested in building the capacity of the rebellious person. Even the Bible says that Rebellion is worse than witchcraft.

THE LESSON

When you are at your job, in the beginning, no one cares about what you know even though it matters. They are first interested in seeing how you follow the current terms and conditions placed before you.

When we succeed in proving that we can become good followers through submission, the 1st step to our greatness emerges because people can be sure we will be worthy to lead someday.

Teach Submission at all costs, especially to the children.

Shalom.