TJ, Author at 1Africa | Page 3 of 18

Is Judas In Hell?

Faith
Jesus

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July 14, 2015

I heard a news clip promoting my recent speaking engagement at a church, and they mentioned that I deal with some of “the greatest sinners of all time.”

I thought to myself: Do I? Would people who are caught up in porn and sexual sin addictions consider themselves some of the greatest sinners of all time? Probably not.

Without a doubt, Judas, the biblical disciple of Jesus, is considered the greatest sinner of all time because of what he did to Jesus.

Here is the passage from Luke 22:21-22.

Do you realize that the hand of the one who is betraying me is at this moment on this table? It’s true that the Son of Man is going down a path already marked out.

No surprises there. But for the one who turns him in – who turns traitor to the Son of Man – this is doomsday.

Let me tell you a little bit about what the Bible says about Judas:

He was personally chosen to be an apostle by Jesus.
He spent 3 1/2 years traveling with Jesus.
He saw all the miracles of Christ in person.
He watched as Christ healed the sick, raised the dead and cast out demons.
In terms of experience with Jesus, whatever you can say about Peter, James and John, you can say about Judas.
On top of all this, he handled the money, which is most of the time the most trusted one in the bunch. No one suspected that Judas would betray Jesus, which tells me he was a believer.
His life was changed.
He knew Jesus personally.
In a dark moment of his life, he made a mistake. A big one. He sold Jesus out for 30 silver coins or so. The moment he knew what he had done, he felt remorse, and he killed himself.

I am not here to debate theology. The facts are the facts. I don’t think Judas was “The Mole,” like the reality show character who’s there to sabotage the game from the beginning. I think he made a mistake and now has gone down as committing the biggest sin of all time.

Judas heard every message, saw every miracle, and still screwed up.

Recently, I asked on my Facebook page: “Is Judas in heaven or hell?”

The first response was:

Judas is in hell today. He has been there for 2,000 years and he will be there forever.

There is a button on Facebook that I have started to love. It is called “unfriend.” I won’t unfriend you because you believe differently than I do, I just don’t need more theologians as my friends on Facebook who speak with such confidence when it comes to someone’s place in eternity.

A debate continues on my Facebook wall. I love how everyone is so convinced they know whether Judas is in heaven or hell.

I don’t know who gets in, actually. Do I believe in heaven and hell? Yes. I believe one is dark and one is light, and they both last forever.

What is interesting to me is that in the upper room where Jesus and his disciples shared their last supper together, the 12 disciples all talked about how they were so great. Peter left the room and denied Jesus three times. Judas left the room and sold Jesus out for 30 coins.

One committed suicide, and one went on to build the church as we know it today. Both Peter and Judas committed the same sin. They both denied Jesus. But why do most people think one goes to heaven and one goes to hell?

This is not the debate Christians need to be engaged in. We don’t know. Instead of wasting our time on these types of arguments inside our little Christian world, maybe we should look inside ourselves [edited].

It is easier to debate these issues and make speculations about others than it is to actually look at ourselves in the mirror. It is always easier to think someone else is worse off than we are.

[edited…] We can be reminded that for Christians, the cross and the grave should silence all of these debates. We all fall short and deserve death, but because of what Jesus did on the cross 2,000 years ago, we are able to have life. And I believe that where you end up, God only knows.

Source: CNN.com

The author, Craig Cross, is the pastor and founder of xxxchurch.com.

Do You Love Your Own Journey?

TJ

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July 14, 2015

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There is a tendency to think that anyone who writes a blog, a column in a syndicated newspaper or a best-selling book has it all figured out. Don’t be fooled. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are all works in progress and we are all learning. We are all on a journey. The problem exists when we don’t appreciate our own individual journeys. Where do you stand? Do you love your own journey?

From time to time, I’ve been confronted with certain seasons in life where I’ve had to ask myself questions. To say it another way, those seasons have been ones where life has presented me with more questions than answers. Realities change and nothing stays the same. Some of the questions that come my way: What is a real man? Am I fully living the way I was meant to? What about all the things I always said I wanted to do? If I don’t do them now, then when? What do I fight for and what do I ignore? As a result of all these questions, I’m observing more, speaking less. I’m watching and taking mental notes but also being vigilant lest I become academic about life and yet watch it pass me by. It’s all part of loving one’s own journey.

Your journey is unique and it is different. Our stories are not the same. So don’t let someone who is unhappy about his or her own journey pull you down. Don’t allow someone else’s ‘issues’ to rob you of your joy. God didn’t make a mistake when He made you as you are. People in the world may label you according to their own fears, doubts & insecurities. They may call you all kinds of things – too dark, too short, too emotional, overconfident, proud or anything that suits them. Do yourself a big favor – as my friends in West Africa say, “don’t mind them”. As long as you are sincere in what you are doing and your heart is pure about who you are, keep walking tall and unapologetic.

Be comfortable in being you and love your journey. God is supremely wise and knows why He made you the way you are. If you want to know about God and how you can have a genuine and deep connection with Him, click on the banner below.

How To Control A Job Interview (Part 2)

TJ

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July 14, 2015

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Turn Questions Around to Your Advantage

In our primer on answering difficult questions, we shared Woodall’s advice on how to respond to challenging queries. The trick is often to adjust or turn the question around in such a way that you can talk about what you want to. Several of her techniques work well for fielding those interview questions that don’t offer the chance to paint yourself in the best possible light:

Refocus the Question

If there’s part of a question you don’t think it’s a good idea to speak to, focus on an aspect that will allow you to highlight one of your matchups. You do that, Woodall writes, by taking “one word from the question (usually not the main topic word) which you are willing to talk about, and [building] a strong, supported response around it.”

So let’s say a candidate doesn’t have the advanced degree usually required of a position, and is asked:

“This job requires a strong knowledge of the subject area you’ll be creating exhibits around. Initiative is important as well. In what ways do you exhibit those traits?”

A good answer could be something like: “My initiative is one of my greatest strengths. I have a passion for diving deep into a subject and I’ve always been able to teach myself new things very quickly. For example, the summer after college, I taught myself both Spanish and French.”

Build a Bridge

With this technique you build a bridge from what the question asked to what you really want to talk about. This technique is similar to the refocusing strategy, but the break between the content of the question and that of your answer is sharper.

The trick is to bridge to your talking points as smoothly as possible so the transition isn’t too awkward or noticeable. To do this, first acknowledge the significance of the question’s subject, and then look for a logical pivot point towards what you think is the more important factor:

“Tell me about an on-the-job experience where you managed a project from start to finish.”

“While on-the-job experience can be important [acknowledging the significance], experience in other areas can be equally valuable [pivoting]. I spent last summer heading up a project to build wells in Africa. I not only had to manage a team and understand differences in the working styles of its members, but also had to navigate cross-cultural differences. The job taught me how to overcome obstacles similar in many ways to the ones it seems like I’ll encounter in this job. For example…”

“I see that there’s a year-long gap here on your resume. What were you doing during that time?”

“I had to take care of some family issues that year. But as you can also see, the work I did both immediately preceding and following that year is directly aligned with the responsibilities of this position. For example, while I was working at Acme Co., I was responsible for…”

Use a Funnel

With the bridge technique, you pivot entirely away from the question’s main subject. But sometimes you just want to narrow the field of discussion, while also encouraging follow-up questions and continued conversation on one certain aspect. With the funnel approach, you can accomplish this by acknowledging the larger issue and then using narrowing words to direct the interviewer’s attention to the area you most want to spotlight:

“What work experience do you have that makes you a good candidate for this job?”

“I have experience in the hospitality business and as a customer service representative, but the experience that most aligns with what you’re looking for is the five years I spent managing an after school program for at-risk youth.”

Use Your Closer

The final way to take charge of a job interview is to use the final moments/questions to your best advantage.

If the interviewer closes with “Is there anything you’d like to add?” highlight 1-2 of the matchups from your original worksheet that you didn’t get to mention over the course of the interview. “The job description noted that you’re looking for someone with editing experience. Part of my last job included editing the company’s newsletters as well as its blog posts.”

If they ask, “Do you have any questions for me?” feel free to ask the most effective of the standard variety, but also ask a question that allows you to bring up one of your yet-unmentioned matchups. For example, you can say, “I noticed that the job description indicated that this position requires some graphic design experience. My favorite part of my job at Acme Co. was redesigning their website, and we even won an industry award for it. What kind of graphic design responsibilities will be part of this position?”

The key with what you bring up is to avoid making the interviewer feel like they have subpar interviewing skills, or putting down the company at all. For example, you wouldn’t want to say, “I noticed that the job description mentioned graphic design but you didn’t ask me about my experience in this area.” Or, “I noticed your company’s website is in need of a significant redesign. I have experience in this area and would be happy to help.”

To review, taking control of a job interview involves:

Knowing what skills, experiences, attitudes, etc. a potential employer is looking for in a candidate.
Figuring out how your own skills, experiences, attitudes, etc. match up with those requirements.
Weaving these matchups into the answers to as many of the questions you’re asked during an interview as possible, even if this means adjusting the question and giving information they didn’t explicitly ask for!

You don’t have to approach an interview passively and hope you get an interviewer and a set of questions that allows you to give a complete picture of why you’re the best man for the job. Come prepared, control how things go, and make the ideal interview happen for yourself!

Source: The Art of Manliness

Africa, What Do You Really Want?

TJ

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July 13, 2015

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There are moments when a raging fire burns within me about Africa. Having had the opportunity so far to visit ten African countries, I’m always amazed at how some of the issues and challenges faced by African people are the same. Languages, currencies and the physical appearance of people may differ here and there but certain things are present in every country. Coming back to this fire, I’ve come to the conclusion that it will burn more exuberantly and dramatically as the years go on. I really believe with everything in me that there is more for the people of our continent. We deserve more and we can be more. The question, though, is how badly do we want it? Do we continue to blame seen and unseen colonialist and neo-colonialist forces? How far will blaming others get us? Our generation is tired of the song that focuses on the past. What’s useful to us is the future. This is not to say we ignore what was done. It’s a part of the history that can’t be denied but it’s not enough to feed our children in the future. Our desire is what will propel us there.

Recently, I learnt a major lesson about the importance of desire. Desire is the potent, living fuel that spurs human beings into action. Rarely have great feats been accomplished in human existence without that all-important spark called desire. Truth be told, nothing can stop even the so-called simplest of human beings if he or she is armed with the weapon of desire. Everything else seems to just follow on quite naturally if true desire is present.

I wrote in a past post here on 1Africa that our actions always prove to the world how serious we are about what we claim to want. But it’s quite tragic that many people don’t even have that initial spark – the desire itself! How unfortunate would it be if we were to look deep within ourselves and discover that we don’t actually want anything! I’m sure any careful study of the greats of this world reveals that, in many cases, those who achieved things – big or small – started with these simple words: I want to…

So, the question must be asked again: Africa, what do you really want? Will we keep looking back to the past or is there something in all of us that wants more? The wisdom required to look inward and make that kind of a determination can be found when we realize that God must be central to everything we are. We cannot ignore Him because He is able to guide us to make the best decisions. Here at 1Africa, we are passionate about encouraging our readers to connect with the love of God as a starting point to everything. If you’d like to know more, click on the banner below.

How To Control A Job Interview (Part 1)

TJ

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July 13, 2015

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There are two ways to approach a job interview.

With the first, you take a pretty passive stance. You control what you can on your side of things — dressing well, acting confident, trying to give good answers — but a lot of how the interview goes is left up to chance: Is the interviewer effective at asking good questions that allow you to talk about why you’re a great fit for the job? Is he or she feeling tired or fresh? Is the interview long or short? You get whatever kind of interview you happen to walk into.

With the second approach, you take charge of the interview. Rather than hoping you’ll land an eager, experienced interviewer, you make stuff happen for yourself. You talk about the things you need to talk about to make yourself look like the best candidate for the job, even if the interviewer doesn’t directly lead you there. Regardless of the quality of the interview you get, you’re able to offer a complete, persuasive picture of yourself.

How do you control a job interview like this? That’s what we’ll teach you today.

Maximize Your Matchups

In Thinking on Your Feet, Marian K. Woodall argues that there are two ways to control an interview:

Know what information you must communicate to paint a complete picture (plus additional information which will enhance that picture, if time and circumstances allow).

Use each question to include a portion of that information, regardless of how much information the question seeks.

Basically, you want to know what a potential employer is looking for in an ideal candidate, match those requirements up with your own experience and traits, and then share those matchups as much as possible during the interview.

Figuring out these matchups is something you should do in the days leading up to the interview. To do so, Woodall recommends creating two columns on a sheet of paper. On one side, list the skills, experiences, aptitudes, preferences, etc. the potential employer is looking for in a candidate. You can figure this out by reviewing and parsing the job description, researching the company, and simply using your powers of deduction. Consider not just the “hard” skills the position calls for, but the attitudes and interests the employer likely wants too. A job at a museum may not require that someone love art, but a passion for it will add value to the position; likewise, being a regular camper may not be mandatory to be hired at an outdoors store, but it can go a long way towards making a candidate more attractive. Finally, keep in mind that there are traits employers are prohibited from advertising for, but desire nonetheless. For example, a construction company may be looking for someone young and strong, while a library prefers someone who’s quiet and mature. List as many traits as possible that the potential employer may be seeking.

Now in the right-side column, write down any experiences, skills, interests, etc. you possess that match up with each trait or skill you listed on the left side. Making some of these matches will be easy; the employer’s looking for computer programming skills, and you’re adept at javascript and C++. Some may require a little more thought and imagination, though. If you think an employer is looking for someone older, and you’re in your twenties, write down the fact that you’re mature beyond your years due to the fact that you learned patience, responsibility, and organization in taking care of a sick parent while you were growing up. If you think the employer is looking for an energetic young buck, and you’re longer in the tooth, put down the fact that you work out 5X a week and do triathlons. If they’re looking for on-the-job experience, but you’ve just graduated, think of projects, community service, and other things you’ve done that demonstrate the same kind of skills and training.

Review your matchups several times before your interview, and then during, weave the information from the right side column into as many questions as you can. Oftentimes the questions the interviewers ask make this easy — your experience/skills are relevant, and all you have to do is emphasize and highlight the information that best parallels what they’re looking for. You don’t have to always make explicit parallels between the job’s requirements and your own traits, though you can when they ask something like, “What makes you the right person for this job?” “The job description says you’re looking for someone with experience with social media. In my last job, I grew the company’s Facebook page by 10,000 fans.” Or: “I can tell this job requires physical stamina. I still go to the gym 5 times a week and am entering my fifth triathlon this summer. I love physical challenges and enjoy being up and doing things all the time.”

Peppering your answers with the information from your matchup sheet is an easy way to guide an interview. But what if the interviewer simply isn’t asking questions that give you the opportunity to highlight your strengths?

You can control the questions you get by adjusting them to your advantage.

Source: The Art of Manliness

Some Things To Remember About Prayer

TJ

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July 9, 2015

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Are you interested in understanding prayer but sometimes get frustrated by how complicated it seems? In all likelihood, if you’re in that kind of space, the terrible thing is that you end up not praying at all. The following is a fantastic and thought-provoking piece we sourced for you with a list of some things to remember about prayer.

Prayer is a strange and wonderful thing. It takes practice, and I’m still learning how it works—and I imagine it will be a life-long lesson.

I’ve been keeping a daily prayer journal for a year and five months now, and I’ve learned a lot about prayer by doing that. I’ve also learn a lot about myself.

Here are four things I’ve found that commonly sidetrack us from an effective, authentic prayer life:

Focusing on Me and My Problems

It is so easy to get caught up in our own little world, and even easier for our prayers reflect that. Prayer can become just repetitive pleas for God’s hand to make sure every detail of our life is safe and comfortable and looking successful. But the world is a lot bigger than our problems. Yes, God cares about you—every bit of you. He cares about your relationships and your decisions and how you use your time.

But there are millions of people in the world who need prayer too. You may be the only one in their life who is praying for them. There is great power in praying for people you know—co-workers, friends, family. There is also great need for prayer warriors praying for people they have never met and may never see—refugees, missionaries, government officials, random strangers on the street. You might be the only praying Christian to ever cross their path.

Don’t let your prayers be only all about you. They should be all about God.

Prayer ties your soul to the soul of another with the strands of eternity. It can be a powerful, if unnoticed, ministry. You may never get an award for “Best Prayer Warrior of the Year.” You won’t get a gold star at the end of the day. But you will get to watch the stars realign. You will get to see the hand of the Creator move. And you will come to know the heart of the Father like never before.

Worrying if My Prayers are Worthy

No prayer is dumb. God listens to you whether you’re praying for your finger to get better or to get an A on your test or the sun to come out. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big prayer or a little prayer or a “selfish” prayer. You can pray for people you’ve never met. You can pray for celebrities. You can pray for the trash man. You can pray for good weather. Prayer is simply talking to God—as a friend. Too often we forget that God actually likes us.

What I mean is this: friends talk about everything. If my best friend and I only ever had deep theological or philosophical conversations pondering the fundamental questions of our existence, we probably wouldn’t be best friends very long. We talk about deep things, but we also talk about movies and cute actors and our favorite books and Anthropologie and art. We talk about silly things, little things and the big important things. Why? Because I trust her implicitly. And when you trust God, this shows in your prayers.

God is big enough for your little requests. He is big enough for your “dumb” prayers.

He simply wants to talk with you. Never negate the power of your prayers simply because you feel like they aren’t worded correctly or don’t flow well or aren’t always about the big issues in the world. God loves you—not because you are eloquent or compassionate or dedicated or good with words, but because you are His.

Never be afraid to pray. About anything. About everything.

Never Taking Time to Listen

Don’t we all hate those people who can never stop talking about themselves? Every story, every joke always relates back to them. They have to be the center of the conversation or there is no conversation. They never pause to listen.

But don’t we all become that person in prayer? I know I do. I have a list of people and things and problems to pray for, but I hardly ever take a moment to listen and hear what God is saying.

Granted, He doesn’t often speak audibly to people, but I do believe He gives us thoughts, impressions, memories that are from Him. The core of relationships is communication, and at least half of that communication should be listening. The same holds true in prayer.

Making My Prayer Life an Idol

If I make a decision, I’m going to stick to it. If I write something on my to-do list, it’s going to get done. So, if I decide to pray every day, then come hell or high water, I’m going to pray every day. And that isn’t a bad thing. Dedication is good. But not if you idolize it.

I have found the habit of prayer is truly a weapon. It can protect you, but it can also be dangerous. Since I write my prayers down, it is easy for me to fall in love with the words on the page more than the One I’m writing them to. I like the way my pen feels in my hand and finding ways to string my thoughts together until they are beautiful.

Never let the habit of prayer outweigh the holiness of prayer.

Prayer was never meant to be simply another thing checked off of your list or a way for you to seem like a better Christian or a way for you to suck up to God. (He doesn’t fall for it anyway.) So let yourself mix up your routine. If you usually write down your prayers, try speaking them. If you usually pray while you’re driving, try praying on your knees. Let creativity and passion flow into your prayers.

There is unfathomable power in prayer. A praying Christian is a dangerous Christian.

Source: Relevant Magazine

Russell Wilson And Ciara’s Choice To Abstain

TJ

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July 9, 2015

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Russell Wilson And Ciara’s Choice To Abstain

There’s been quite a lot of drama and noise in the media for a while now, all around the issue of tolerance and allowing people the right to choose. The idea is that we are all different and, therefore, we can’t all be expected to live by one absolute standard. There is no plumb line when it comes to truth. Religion is old school, boring and repressive, we read. Because we are as different as we are, I’m supposed to leave you to do your thing and, in return, you should give me the space I need to do my thing. Yet, when we really look at it, it seems like certain people would still like to feel they can comment fairly harshly on the decisions of others and label them, while at the same time advocating freedom of choice. Yesterday, I came across a piece in The Daily Beast and felt prompted to also ask some questions. The opening went thus:

“On Sunday, AKA the lord’s day, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson sat down for a one-on-one interview with Pastor Miles McPherson at San Diego’s Rock Church. Wilson, who has been linked to pop star Ciara for months, finally went public with the relationship. He went on to shock the church with the most painful-sounding and nonsensical announcement this side of the foreskin covenant: Russell Wilson and Ciara were doing it “Jesus’ way” In other words, not doing it.”

The fairly cynical article – which regularly takes shots at Christianity and certain of its values – makes the argument that abstinence, at least in the world of entertainment, has been nothing more than a marketing gimmick to reel in not just the teen purchase influencer group but their mommies and daddies too. Fair point. But to then dismiss abstinence as though, because everybody’s having sex whenever and however, those who choose to wait are a group of bizarre freaks is completely hypocritical. Where’s the freedom of choice in that worldview? The author goes on to say, “In addition to being exhausting, abstinence fetishization is just plain ineffective. According to The New York Times, studies have shown that most abstinence-only teens “end up having sex before marriage, and they are far less likely to use condoms than their peers.” This, to me anyway, implies that young people should disabuse themselves of the idea that abstinence is a noble or worthy ideal because, hey, things happen in life and if it so happens that you end up having sex, the better option would be for you to already be willing and ready, condom in wallet.

What many people don’t like to think about when it comes to the discussion around sexual issues and abstinence as it relates specifically to young people, is that sex is not a game. We like to reduce it to a game or some casual activity but it’s really not. The same entertainment industry that fetishizes ‘freedom’ for young people and encourages them to ‘explore’ and have sex willy-nilly doesn’t tell them about the heartbreak that comes when you have given of yourself to someone who doesn’t truly love you and was just using you. They don’t show you what a major life-changing responsibility it is to have a child and how painful it can be to raise one alone if the person you slept with and thought was going to stay with you chooses to walk away. Doom and gloom? Certainly not. It’s fair and fine to constantly harp on about rights and liberties and sexual freedom slash awareness but, as far as young people are concerned, we who are mature (supposedly) need to put equal – if not more – emphasis on responsibility. Sex isn’t bad or evil at all but, like everything worthwhile in life, should be handled with care. Coming back to Russell Wilson and Ciara’s choice to abstain, what’s the problem? What’s the fuss about? Leave them alone. If they are doing it for the right reasons, they actually should be applauded if you ask me. Besides, isn’t this the age of freedom of choice anyway?

At 1Africa, we believe that God’s ways and guidelines are not there to repress us but simply to teach us to be responsible people. We don’t believe that being a follower of Christ means suppression. In fact, the Bible states that it brings true freedom. If you’d like to know more about God and faith, please click on the banner below.

Quoted in this article: Russell Wilson and Ciara’s ‘No Sex’ Vow: Fetishizing Abstinence in Pop Culture

Bill Cosby: Who Can We Believe?

TJ

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July 8, 2015

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I don’t know about you but, for me growing up, Bill Cosby was a hero. Watching him make people laugh was an inspiration beyond words. As a young African boy, seeing one of the very few dark-skinned mainstream television dads ignited something in me that told me that anything was possible. Add to that the amount of time and energy we saw Cosby put into fighting for the cause of education in impoverished, so-called ‘inner city’ black communities, and it’s safe to say that we had, for ourselves, a classic superhero. We knew we could do it too, in spite of what everyone else might have been telling us about our capacity as African people – an issue which is still far from over, mind you. Seeing Cosby shine on the screen gave us a real sense of hope.

Fast forward to 2015 and I come across the following article in Vanity Fair. “On Monday, the Associated Press obtained 2005 court documents that Bill Cosby’s lawyers had attempted to keep sealed. The records chronicle a deposition in the sexual assault case filed by Andrea Constand, the first woman to take legal action against the comedian and former family-sitcom star. As previously reported, the documents show that Cosby admitted to giving women drugs before having sex with them. But after reading through the 66 pages of legal documents—now available online—we’ve found other clues to the disturbing Cosby puzzle.”

I’m sorry, what? “Cosby admitted to giving women drugs before having sex with them””? In what world? It cannot possibly be that the man who, in many ways, modeled clean language, real fatherhood and wholesome family living in an age where TV was generally moving in the opposite direction – expletives every 2 seconds and nudity at every turn – could be guilty of these things. But there we have it. Welcome to life on earth. The people you look up to and respect turn on you and show you fangs you never knew they had; people you trusted will betray you; and those whom you thought will always be on your side walk away when you need them most. It may hurt but it’s to be expected, it seems.

These words, by US District Judge Eduardo Robreno, probably best capture how complicated and difficult it is to deal with people, whoever they may be, “The stark contrast between Bill Cosby, the public moralist and Bill Cosby, the subject of serious allegations concerning improper (and perhaps criminal) conduct is a matter as to which the A.P.—and by extension the public—has a significant interest.”

The true message of this post is not to put Bill Cosby under the spotlight or highlight his alleged wrongs and talk about the disappointment we may all feel about the sexual abuse saga involving him. Rather, it is to ask ourselves if we are not too prone to putting our hope in men. The celebrity culture leads us to make gods of the likes of Justin Bieber, Kanye West and Bill Cosby. But really, who can we believe? These people are not gods. They are created men and the Creator is God. If we want to look up to someone, it may be Him we need to turn our eyes to. At 1Africa, our overriding desire is to introduce you to a message about that God. If you’d like to know more, please click on the banner below.

Trevor Noah Meets Jerry Seinfeld

TJ

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July 6, 2015

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On the new episode of his web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Jerry Seinfeld picks up Daily Show host designate Trevor Noah in a white Ferrari and whisks him to Dumbo (which, Seinfeld explains stands for “down under Manhattan Bridge” plus “overpass” because nobody wants to live in “DUMB”). Most Americans don’t know much about 31-year-old Noah, who replaces Jon Stewart starting September 28 after just three prior reports as a series correspondent. Upon his appointment, comedy nerds may have streamed Noah’s 2011 documentary, You Laugh But Its True, available on Netflix—where the South African discusses his rise from cab driver to comedian and details how his mother survived a gunshot to the head—but for the uninitiated, Esquire.com mined CCC for intel on The Daily Show’s next funnyman news anchor.

Known to go “gig crazy,” Noah will cram as many shows as possible into a week (even if it means crossing oceans).
He receives daily emails from his mom in South Africa.
Young Trevor first learned the profound power of humor when he saw his black grandfather crack up a white police officer at a parade in Johannesburg.
Though heckling is frowned upon in South Africa, he practices comebacks. When interrupted at a show in the UK, Noah replied, “Are you done? Forgive me where I’m from, normally white people come at you with dogs and tear gas. Is that all you have?”
The Daily Show (which tapes at 6 p.m.) is going to wreck havoc on his REM cycle. “[If] my [first] show’s at 7, I wake up at 6 p.m., read the news, go into the shower, get dressed, walk out of my apartment, I walk into the venue, walk into the backstage…and then I would leave through the back, and then I’ll go have breakfast.”
Noah feels the need to treat even when out with very wealthy Seinfeld, who just made a killing on Hulu.
Fran Drescher will soon find herself with a well-placed fan. “Is Flushing in Queens?” Noah asks Seinfeld. “I know that from The Nanny.”
His black mother would masquerade as his white father’s maid so the family could spend time together during Apartheid.
She would also pretend to be Noah’s babysitter so officials didn’t think that she’d committed a crime by having a mixed-race child.
Noah had no idea that he was in the running to takeover for Stewart.
He got the call about Daily Show during a night drive in Dubai. “My phone rings and my manager says, ‘How would you like to be the host of The Daily Show?'” His senses reacted like he’d heard an explosion. “And then the worst thing is, you’re in Dubai, which is one of the hardest places in the world to find a drink.”

Source: esquire.com

Don’t Burn Bridges

TJ

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July 6, 2015

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Several years ago, I was walking from the supermarket when, in the distance, I heard the sound of footsteps and a voice yelling, ‘Excuse me!’ I turned to see a stocky guy about my age running towards me quite energetically. For a moment, I wondered what this guy could possibly want. However, as he approached, I realized that his face looked familiar. As it turned out, I went to high school with the man and, though we weren’t friends then and had never really spoken, somehow he recognized me and left his office to come and say hi. He then warmly invited me into his office and, over the next twenty minutes, he narrated how he’d started a property agency and had just set up shop in the neighborhood where I live. As he spoke to me, I shared with him that I was thinking of moving out of my apartment and wanted to know if he could help me secure a better place to rent. ‘Why don’t you buy?!?’ he exclaimed and then went on to pour out a wealth of information which was very useful about buying property. As I think about it now, I realize that I wouldn’t have got this information if I had made an enemy of him twelve years ago in high school. For, as God’s plan and His laws would have it, things have changed. He is no longer a snotty-nosed teen (I kid not, he was at the time) but a rising entrepreneur who turned out to be helpful in changing my mindset.

The moral of this story: don’t burn bridges. We should never make the mistake of undermining people because of the way they appear in the present. And we should certainly never ever burn bridges if we can help it. The people we despise, push away and ignore now may very well be vital to our success on some level in the future. Many times, we fail to be strategic about life, thinking that things will stay the same as they are now. We treat people with so much contempt and take them for granted without an understanding that it could come back to bite us one day. True wisdom says that nothing stays the same. I once heard someone use the term ‘tomorrow-minded’ some years ago. I thought it was funny at the time but it is actually very deep. Tables turn in life and if we have done a great job of burning bridges everywhere we go and failing to be ‘tomorrow-minded’ about people we come across, we may be setting ourselves up for a fall or, at least, for missed opportunities somewhere along the way.

To be clear, I’m not saying that we need to cozy up to every single person we meet in life. Not everyone belongs in our inner circle. Doubtless, we’ll come across some highly toxic people – people who constantly discourage us, speak negatively, endlessly take and never give, people who drain us of all energy and hope. As much as possible, we must avoid being influenced by such people. When I speak of bridges that we should be careful never to burn, I refer to those who, in short, would be described as ‘little people’ – people with no titles or present significance, who have been dismissed by the crowd maybe because of their inglorious background, poor education or lack of experience. You just never know.

A person who has constantly inspired me when it comes to this area is Jesus Christ. He refused to despise anybody and saw people, not through the lenses of their present failures, but always full of undying hope about who they could be. Even as He was dying on a cross, He reached out to forgive a criminal and assured him of a future he never would have had. He sees you for who you really are and will never burn bridges with you. By faith, Christ’s spirit still lives in us today. If you’d like to know more about Him and how you can connect with Him, please click on the banner below.

TJ

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