Lesson 1: Don’t miss the boat
Each time in life, there are boats of opportunity to fulfilment, greatness, wealth and even survival. One of such in Noah’s time was the ark; but more often than not, most people, out of sheer lethargy and apathy will miss these boats. In more contemporary times, there are the boats of education, which can launch one to lands of great opportunity, but which many choose to miss; there are also the boats of diligence and hard work, which are really opportunities to move to higher grounds, and there are equally the opportunity boats of several investment vehicles, which many will miss either due to improper preparation, ignorance or complacency, and thus refuse to be saved from the clutches of want and lack. Don’t be one of such people; take advantage of the boat’s presence to launch yourself to greater possibilities in life.
Lesson 2: Remember that we are all in the same boat
Yes, for those of us who choose to get into the boat, we end up in the same boat.
So, the issues of relative efficiency and healthy competition crop up here. It is not nearly enough to get a choice employment, for instance. You need to realise that several of you eventually got into the company and are constantly being measured against one another; you need to realise that the requirements to get the job are not the same requirements to effectively retain and progress on the job. So, the issue of going the extra mile comes in here. You must be prepared to provide that very ‘jara’ into all your undertakings that will stand you out and ahead of the crowd.
Lesson 3: Plan ahead; it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark
It is a popular saying that every minute spent in preparation saves ten in execution.
Imagine the catastrophe that would have resulted if Noah had waited till the very last moments to start building the ark. So, we need to devote ample preparation time into every act and deed we need to perform.
My late father used to get me prepared completely as at the preceding night for any task I had to carry out on any particular day. For instance, the writing materials, documents, clothes and shoes to wear, bus fare etc had to be prepared and get well laid out on the preceding day to every examination and that has become part of me.
Ample preparation will save you a whole lot of embarrassment, frustration and failure and make you feel good and confident when the deed has to be done.
Lesson 4: Stay fit; when you’re ‘600’ years old (like Noah was) Someone may ask you to do something really big (like God did ask Noah). It is important that you are fit at all times both in body and in mind. You will need the good health edge at every point in your life and may have to carry out a tasking assignment at a particularly unexpected point in time.
Noah built the ark at age 600. Imagine how he would have managed to carry out the task without much external help if he had had to do it with an abused, burnt out body or with a sick mind. I doubt if God would have found him fit for the ‘call’ with any of these. A lot of people make their breakthrough moves in the latter years of their lives.
