S.M.O

Good leadership is all about accountability. Good political leaders strive to make life easier for their populace. Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between strategic planning and success. Systematic planning and regular evaluation is essential for success in anything. Visionary leaders enforce this.   

Nigeria is a precarious country with very bad roads. As I drove to the grocery store this morning, I was brooding on the fact that in Nigeria every year people die by the thousands due to bad roads. Data from the Nigerian Road Safety Commission stated that Nigeria has the highest rate of deaths from motor accidents in the whole of Africa, and the number continues to rise. So why are roads in the United States better than roads in Nigeria? The answer is simple: accountability. The U.S government not only builds roads, but has in place agencies that monitor, clean and restore damaged roads. Every once in a while, some roads even get a complete makeover to fit the growing traffic needs of their particular geographical location.  

After shopping I noticed that I was running low on gas and quickly pulled into a Shell gas station because it was on my route. Then I remembered that we also have Shell gas stations in Nigeria. Hmm how Shell become so global, I wondered. Come to think of it, how did Walmart, Google and other multi-national companies get to where they are today? Perhaps the answer to my rhetorical questions is a combination of many factors such as careful research, exhaustive planning, extensive advertisement, consultation of experts among other things. Whenever I go grocery shopping, I always notice new changes here and there. It seems like grocery stores are always sampling, repackaging and remodeling their stores and goods to retain the interest of their customers. As competition continues to increase between businesses, smarter companies now use incentives such as coupons, discounts, sales, fuel points and tons of other “savings” to retain old customers and attract new ones. But the issue here is that they are in business essentially because they are constantly devising new ways to retain the interest of their customers.   

Anyhow, I am not really about roads or giant companies today. What I am about is what I decided to entitle Spiritual Make Over or (S.M.O.) Self-preservation or the survival instinct is human’s most powerful drive. Ordinarily, nobody wants to die. Instead, most people will do anything and everything to be alive. Closely connected to self-preservation is an insatiable desire to succeed. We want better jobs, houses, careers or whatever. And there is nothing wrong with that. It is good to dream, for it motivates us to accomplish great things. So I think the drive for happiness may be linked to the desire for something new or different, at least for some people. This also removes boredom or stagnation..

So what does a Spiritual Make Over mean? I think it says it all, overhauling our spiritual life in order to better connect with God. Good political leaders work hard to provide services to improve the lives of their populace. Happily married couples thrive by creatively learning new ways of making their spouse happy. Perhaps it is time for many of us to turn inwards and clean up from the inside. Perhaps our hearts have become cluttered with egocentricism, anger, greed, hate, unforgiveness or pride. Fortunately, it is possible to change all that. God can, and is willing to help if we ask him. Let us not be too busy to forget Jesus' warning in Mark 8:18. Jesus asked his disciples if they have eyes but fail to see. Let us not fail to see that God is all that we need. St Augustine was right when hundreds of years ago he said that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. “Do you have ears, but fail to hear?” Jesus asked again. It is dangerous to continue to ignore the call for a complete soul makeover because our soul’s needs are as important as our bodily needs.  “Don't you remember?”  asked the Lord yet again. Let us always remember that although we try hard to preserve and improve our lives, we are really sustained by God’s love and mercy. Let us always give God the credit, for he deserves it. More than that, let us continue to invite him to do more for, with and in us. Amen