In Life, we all go through our moments. Each day the clock ticks but one thing stands sure, we spend our day differently.
A few days ago, while passing through 3rd Mainland Bridge in Lagos, Nigeria, it was a raining day, such a heavy down pour, but after a while, the downpour softened into a light drizzle.
As I looked through the window at the water below, my attention was drawn to the canoe riders, who were going about their activities.
There was traffic, which gave me enough time to observe the canoe riders closely. I found the experience of watching them going about their activities fascinating, most importantly how they skillfully controlled their boats.
One sight particularly caught my attention! The tide was so high that for a moment, it looked like one of the boats would capsize. I watched closely, anticipating it to lose balance, but to my suprise it didn’t.
Right there, from my vantage point, I witnessed the remarkable precision with which the canoe rider navigated through the waters using nothing but his paddle.
As I watched, I was reminded of the scripture that says:
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV).
That moment brought David to mind. David was so skillful with his harp that he was invited into the palace to play for King Saul whenever an evil spirit troubled him (1 Samuel 16:14-23).
He was also so diligent and skilled in tending his father’s sheep that he had already built experience fighting and defeating both a lion and a bear (1 Samuel 17:34–36). That hidden preparation became the foundation for his public victory over Goliath.
King Saul would never have permitted David to represent Israel in battle if there had been no proven track record. The stakes were too high, because the outcome of that battle would determine whether Israel would become subject to the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:8–9).
David’s private excellence gave him public credibility. I’m sure of the fact that the canoe rider never has a slight idea that i was watching him do his thing.
I believe this is a call for all of us not to remain idle, and to be a doer of good works. God Himself is a worker. From the very beginning, creation reveals His nature as One who works intentionally and excellently (Genesis 1:1; Genesis 2:2).
Scripture makes it clear that He blesses the work of our hands (Deuteronomy 28:12). Notice it says the work of your hands. That means there must first be something in your hands for Him to bless.
Secondly, this is a call not to do mere work, but to work excellently; being excellent at what we do when no one is watching and when there is visibility.
God is excellent in all His ways, and everything He created reflected that excellence. After creation, “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
Excellence is part of God’s nature. So if we are made in His image, should our work reflect anything less of His competence, capacity, character?
Laziness is not attractive, and it never produces fruitful results.
It is not enough to simply desire impact, growth, or increase. There must be something being built, developed, refined, and stewarded.
So, start from where you are.
Start with what you have.
Learn a skill.
Take a course.
Attend trainings.
Develop capacity.
Be consistent.
Be diligent.
But whatever you do, do not remain idle. Your future opportunities may very well depend on the excellence you build in obscurity today.
Light’s On 