A man (a woman) is born on a particular day in a specific year. He lives, makes life, grows, and passes on on a particular day. Although the events that drive his destiny through his lifetime are not specifically known at his birth, his death is a reality. “All die be die” they say. And it is true, death is death. But, not all men die in the same fashion, and not all men die with the same status. As the death of some men is painfully felt, others die, and they just are buried, almost unrecognised. Why? What is the difference? The difference in it is the roles each man plays while on earth, while he has life. And by this I mean, his services.
Each man is born to serve! From ages unknown till today, every human that is born serves in one way or the other, before he leaves this world. He serves himself (herself), serves his fellow men, and serves God. All leaders serve too. They serve the people they lead. Some do it selflessly, others do it selfishly. And, it is the quality of our services on earth that determines how our lives end, whether on a good note, or on a bad one; and by extension, whether in heaven, or in hell. This is a powerful reality.
Each man is born to serve – in the family, at the workplace, in the church, and in the nation. Children serve their parents, slaves serve their masters, leaders serve their people, couples serve each other. But the question is: how do we serve? Selfishly? Selflessly? When we find ourselves in various positions and portfolios, do we do our best? On this earth, do we render good services at all? Do we murder? Do we hate? Do we lie? Do we steal?
Maybe we do; maybe we don’t. But the truth is, it is the rendering of good services that can give us and our families a better future. If we render poor, corrupt services, we only blight our future, and that of posterity. Every good service will be rewarded! Wherever we find ourselves; whatever we do, if we do it well, we will be rewarded duly. Students, let us learn hard. Workers, let us work hard. From the government-top down to the roots, wherever we find ourselves, let us do our best.
I have accepted this reality about rendering good services, and getting rewarded thereby. Sometimes the reward comes immediately; at other times, it comes very late. Still, it even seems sometimes that there’s no reward at all. But truth is, there is reward. So I encourage myself daily, and I encourage you too. Work hard, be persistent. If people praise you, thank God. If not, fine. It is the joy in this that makes me smile every time, at least just to motivate myself.
May the LORD bless all persons who are rendering good, selfless services at their posts for Ghana, Africa, and for the world. All your good efforts will surely be rewarded. And, God will give you the strength to finish it.
ISAAC ESSOUN
Poet Hope 