You know some of those small things that happen and that don’t seem that significant at all. Like your wife prepares a cup of tea, serves you and it just looks normal- why appreciate anyway when that’s her duty! After all it’s not a favour that she’s doing so there shouldn’t be any expectation from her!
I am lost somewhere in town – I ask the ‘soldier’ for directions – no sooner has he shown me than I take off even without saying thank you. A matatu conductor has been so good (a very unusual scenario) but immediately I alight I zoom off without even looking at him and saying ‘poa buda, baadaye.’ I think we are a society where being grateful and appreciating others is seen as a very awkward thing. In fact, sometimes those people you appreciate may look at you suspiciously as if you just dropped from another planet.
At the centre of ingratitude is a heart that is so focused on self. An inward looking person can never show appreciation for the ‘small things’ that others have done… but will feel so bad when the same happens to them! And, unashamedly so, that’s what most of us are- narcissism is our being cool!
Blowing Trumpets
At the office, it’s tea time. Tea has been prepared, it’s ready but there’s no-one to serve it with the snacks. So, I go to the kitchen, pick the stuff and everyone is made aware that it’s all ready to be consumed. Then came the support staff and on realising that it’s already been served, says “Oh, you guys have already served. Thanks to the person who did. I’d rushed out to get some items for lunch.” There I was thinking “They all forgot. Am the one who brought it and served!” Oh! What a feeling! Wait… “Kwisha, you’ve already received your reward” one of my colleagues said. Of course, we laughed out loud and I said “am just being humble” but this made me think hard.
I later remembered Christ’s words
“Thus when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have already received their reward.” (Matthew 6:2)
This is really hard stuff! How many times have I sought for praise and recognition? How many times have many of us been known/wanted to be known because of our deeds? Oh, how we sound the trumpet for ourselves!! Selfie here, selfie there, how will they know? Hashtag everything- #VisitToChildrenHome #PoorKids #HereForACourse #MakingAChange #ITouchedAChildsHeart
The real test for me is can I do something without expecting to be congratulated and commended however good it is? But even bigger, can a single day pass without me going out there and deliberately seeking for glory and praise? Just listen to the way we introduce ourselves? What is the big thing that will remain in the people’s minds? We go on each day redeeming our ‘bonga points’ at the expense of that greater reward that we await when our Saviour returns… that eternal, intangible, incomparable reward, I don’t wanna lose that.
fidelnyikuri
iServe Africa Webmaster
Utumishi Blog 
Oh yes!
This is a hard bite, will i chew or swallow whole? Either way it has to go in.
After all is done ‘I remain an unworthy servant’
Thanks Fid.
Thanks for challenging us here. A good article here, Kudos Sir!
This is quite an issue, actually even while I was reading this, I became a victim; a patient was satisfied with the way I served them and there goes that regrettable voice in mind you did good man, a self praise…someone asked how I am doing here and narrating my usual schedule they exclaim a praise and instead of looking up I am tempted to beat my chest, actually they already seem to tell me to do that, saying how God will bless me for what am doing and take care of me only for me to remember that’s not why am doing this but rather answering God’s call which really is my duty. Thanks for reminding us on these truths but I can confess it’s never easy to overcome this pride, it’s like a sin we have to kill every day every time.
Wow! Fidel, many thanks for that great reminder. It’s interesting that even at the point that one confesses that he was just being humble..it might be the definition Christ gives for humility. It’s indeed an attitude of the heart.
How easy it is to just trample on people without even thinking about it!
The wife serving you and you take it for granted part…it gets even worse when it becomes a routine, you just say thank you so as she doesn’t feel bad, but the attitude isn’t that of gratitude.
Thanks Fidel!