The act of ASKing

If you lack wisdom, ask!

The feedback I've received from my debut letter via Eavesdrop has been humbling! I'm really happy that I decided to start sharing these lessons. I'm even more excited because people are finding relevant nuggets for their pursuit of life.

One afternoon, my youngest niece returned from school with a Christian Religious Studies (CRS) assignment. She was in primary 3 at the time. Wuese brought the assignment straight to my room and found me resting on the bed. "CRS? Simple subject, at least it’s not Maths," I whispered in my mind, confident that I could answer the question.

Having spent most of my primary and secondary school days in the presbytery engaging in serious theological conversations, and preparing to attend the seminary, I had some knowledge about the Bible despite not taking CRS in senior secondary school. Moreover, during my pre-university days, I served as an assistant prayer secretary at my fellowship. All these credentials made me believe that answering would be easy.

Well! When she handed me the book, I read through the question thrice, and it didn’t make much sense to me. In fact, I told her something seemed wrong with the way the question was framed, already blaming either the teacher or her for the error. "It's either the teacher said the wrong thing or you wrote the wrong thing," I said to her.

Wuese was sure that what she wrote was correct. I didn’t want to use Google. Remember my credentials!!!

A few hours later, her elder sister returned. I called Civir and began by telling her that I thought the question was wrong, but she could check since they were both attending the same school, and she would probably have come across something similar.

Guess what? It took Civir less than a minute to figure out what the question meant and what the answer was. She was in Primary 5 at the time. Well, should I assume that it was easy for her because she is a lay reader in church and reads the Bible often? Maybe. Well, if I hadn’t reached out to her for help, I wouldn’t have figured out what the question and the answer were. Wuese was either going to fail or not submit at all.

James 1:5 reads, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” With each passing day, the need for wisdom becomes more apparent as we navigate the complexities around us. There are numerous decisions to make, and one misstep can jeopardize everything. Often, we attempt to figure it out on our own, forgetting that it always begins with God—“In the beginning God”. (Cf: Genesis 1:1).

At times, God may speak through unexpected vessels, perhaps even your youngest niece or your cat—indeed, that's what these letters are about God speaking to me through the most unlikely situations.

Asking for wisdom requires humility. If I had not let my ego override the need to seek help, I wouldn't have discussed the challenge I faced while assisting Wuese with her assignments with Civir. By the way, She passed! I can't recall the specific question, but the lesson learned from the experience is unforgettable.

In my work as a journalist, I often find myself on the field, sometimes in unfamiliar locations, and occasionally without a Fixer. What consistently aids me is the act of asking—moreover, it's crucial to seek guidance from the right individuals. The first instance I ventured out without seeking advice was a disaster; I was ambushed by thugs.

Neglecting the act of asking is disastrous!

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” — Matthew 7:7-8.