GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF YOUR LIFE

BY: STEVE MBUGUA. DIRECTOR, MAKINIKA AFRIKA INTERNATIONAL

If I was given a chance to change my career today, I would wholeheartedly choose to be a

primary school teacher. I have worked with an International NGO for 3 years, government office

for 5 months, private company for several months and The largest bank in the country for a

couple of months but my most fulfilling job and that which had a great impact till today was

when I was a primary school teacher at Anestar Primary School in 2007/2008 before I joined the

university for my undergraduate studies..

Despite the lives I have saved in my emergency response in the different incidents that have

happened around the country, I do receive emails, texts, letters, calls and even do meet most of

the pupils I taught who are somewhere pursuing their dreams and purpose and one thing they

always say to me is,”mwalimu, you changed my life”,”mwalimu ,you told me that I can become

whatever I wish to be and today am pursuing my career”,”Teacher, you remember when you told

us that…..its working”…etc. Those are the most fulfilling words that you would wish to hear,

they are worth more than million dollars. Making impact is not about the salary you get but the

lives changed and inspired.

During an international football game, at the end of the game, the players celebrate having won

and their team rising in the performance more than the income they get.

Nobody remembers the halftime score; where you stand at the end of the game is what really

matters. At the end of your day/term, what matters is the significance not the returns.

Significance happens when we enable those around us to discover their own significance.

Your job should be related to your calling and purpose in life and that is why we are encouraged

to live a purpose driven life. If you stop learning today, you'll stop growing tomorrow. Your

career is what you're paid to do; your calling is what you're made to do. Is your God given

assignment here on earth.

In life, there are four stages that we must go through in every stage of our life. There is an

appointed time, departure time, time to give an account and time to receive a reward. The job

that you are in right now „si ya mama yako”. Soon somebody will be in your position and will

perform better than you are today and will be esteemed than you are today, so, give it your best

knowing that its an assignment given to you by God and soon you will give an account.

Don‟t be that kind of a person who has to be driven and pushed to report early and achieve the

targets. Driven people think it's all up to them. Called people understand that life and work are

gifts of God's grace. Get under God's agenda and out from under your own. Success is all about

getting; significance is about giving back.

People have no time anymore to call their friends and to spend time with them, but waste hours

of their valuable time online, on Facebook – checking status messages, addictively playing

games, chatting with random strangers or watching videos on YouTube. You can hear people

mumble, “I’m in a rush” or “Haven’t got any time” while they rush from their workplaces to

their entertainment stations, called home.

Listen to your heart when you make important decisions and try to neglect the promising

external factors (money, etc.) just for a moment. Have the courage to follow where your heart

leads you! Become aware of the things that your heart desires and ask yourself the question if

you really think that your heart might desire something as superficial and material as money,

fancy cars and jewelry. When looking behind the scenes you might discover that it isn‟t tangibles

that your heart truly desires, but – more valuable things such as – true friendship, happiness,

love, but also fulfillment, consciousness, awareness and inner peace with yourself.

Knowing God and believing that there is a plan and purpose for our lives should fill us with joy.

Devote the rest of your life to doing those things which you know to be good and profitable for

humanity, and that means especially for the human beings who live around you.

Living a life of service to others can be on a small scale with a big impact, depending on your

gifts, talents and resources. If you leave this earth and one person is better off because you were

here, that is significant.

The most meaningful work is that which involved helping other people. Sharing your wealth

through charitable giving and philanthropy is important, but sharing your knowledge is every bit

as important. It's the opposite of 'fame and fortune,' but it has lasting significance. I've often said,

'The fruit of my work grows on other people's trees. I spend most of my knowledge to share and

build people without expecting a salary out of that but it gives the most fulfillment.

Joy has more to do with being in alignment with your task or assignment from God, and being in

a right relationship with him and your significant others, than with your sense of personal

gratification or happiness.

I want you to ask yourself this question and give yourself and answer,” If you were at the end of

your life, looking back at where you are now, what would have to have happened for you to feel

good personally and professionally about your life?” Give yourself an answer and start your life

there.

I ask myself, What am I supposed to do today? And what will contribute the most benefit from

what I'm supposed to do today?" "Lord, I can't do anything about yesterday, and tomorrow may

not come. Let me be your man today. Let me serve your purpose; let me add value to your

kingdom today. Am your vessel, use me to serve you through the opportunities you will bring to

me today.

What gets me up each morning is the whole prospect of building something that will last beyond

my own life. Adding value to one person either through my daily posts and tweets, my articles

and meeting with a needy person somewhere.

When you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing, it's like writing with the wrong hand.

You can do it, and after awhile you can get pretty good at it, but it's always awkward. But when

you find the sweet spot-what you were created to do-it's like putting the pen back in the hand

where it belongs." (Tom Wilson, 104)

1Thesalonians 4:11 Also, make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own

business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the

respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

As I finish, I want you to put it into your mind that this is your appointed time so do not misuse

it, always know that your time to departure is coming, time to give an account and time for your

reward is coming so live your life well and know that its an assignment to God .