Since she is a nonbeliever, there was a time I used to utter a prayer that went like this, "Lord, if You have made Popova eminently successful and she doesn't believe in You, then make me more successful than her now that I have faith in You."
Later on, I realized that I was making a big mistake by uttering such a prayer after it dawned on me that Popova has been better than me in a number of ways.
To begin with, she has worked harder than me. She has churned out article after article on her blog with admirable consistency while I used to go for more than a week without posting anything on this blog.
Then, Popova has been kinder and more understanding than me if the advice she gave to the 2016 graduating class of University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication is anything to go by. Here's what she said:
Strive to be uncynical, to be a hope-giving person, to be a steward of substance. Choose to lift people up, not to lower them down because it is a choice always, and because in doing so you lift yourself up.Truly, Popova has been better than me. She deserves the success she has attained and I need to pull my socks up if I am to reach her level of success. Shame on me for telling God that I was better than her just because she doesn't believe in Him as deeply as I do.
Maybe this sense of entitlement - the belief that we deserve blessings - is common in many Christians. And when we find ourselves not attaining the success that the Bible promises to believers, our faith in God is punctured.
For those of us Christians who are lagging behind in our careers, God may not be fulfilling the desires of our hearts due to our failure to live the kind of life He expects of us. Beyond obeying the Ten Commandments, there are virtues we are expected to live by but which many of us disregard in our day-to-day living.
One of the virtues is thinking noble thoughts. We should cultivate in our minds thoughts of love, hope and faith and weed out any thought of pride, lust and bitterness.
Another virtue is gratitude. Many of us Christians tend to focus on what's wrong, on how we were hurt and on how we erred, a focus that makes us bitter and guilty. We should make it our goal to regularly lay down our complaints and be grateful.
Another virtue is diligence. We should be getting out of bed every morning to do our duties. If we are employed, we shouldn't report to our workplaces late or leave early.
Another virtue is patience. Many Christians are in a hurry to get rich and accomplish their dreams. Such haste tempts them to cut corners. But we should be patient, bearing in mind that we get the chicken by hatching the egg, not smashing it.
Another virtue is kindness. As Christians, we should show compassion for those doing less well than us, remembering that we, too, were once in the dark or struggling in some areas.
Another virtue is courage. We Christians should be courageous enough to look people in the eye, to say "no" without feeling guilty and to speak up for those who can't speak for themselves.
Another virtue is truthfulness. We shouldn't tell lies in what we say and write. Neither should we make promises we can't fulfill. It is far better for us to say "no" than to promise something we can't fulfill.
Another virtue is graciousness of speech. Just like Popova said, we should use words that build others up, not tear them down. We should also avoid speaking profanely and cracking off-color jokes.
All those virtues can be summed up in one word: integrity. And integrity also entails asking for permission before taking someone else's property, not photocopying copyrighted materials and acknowledging the source of any quote that isn't our own.
I believe if we endeavor to live with integrity, we will increase the chances of realizing our dreams. It will also make us shine wherever we go, thus giving us the opportunity to lead others to Christ without coercion and condemnation. That's all I am saying. Sayonara!
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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed the above story on what is expected of us Christians, you might also enjoy another one on "The Christian Life" which I wrote more than four years ago. Just click on that link in blue to dive straight into the story.
