The photo above elicited mixed reactions on social media with everyone weighing in with ridicule, resentment and sarcasm. The tag accompanying the photo indicated that this was a chap visiting his village during the Easter holiday.
What was interesting to me was how a majority of those who commented seemed to condemn, abuse and make a mockery of the alleged owner of the car in comparison to the house. Comments ranged from, “how can he have such an expensive car when his home, from the look of things, spells poverty”. Others wondered why he couldn’t have invested in a nice home first while others couldn’t hide their sarcastic excitement. The comments were flooded with all kind of opinions, with a majority offering unwarranted ‘advice’ for the chap on financial management, success and choices.
The photo and the comments got me thinking about the small thing called PRIORITY. Priority can be defined as a thing that is regarded as more important than another. We all have our priorities, and I must add taste and preferences. Priorities differ from one person to another. It all depends on what we regard as more important to us.
People’s expectations
I always have a problem when people try to influence how one has to live their lives. People have the tendency of expecting others to be like them. Believe in their beliefs. Behave like them. Think like them, and be conventional like them. And the moment you try to be different, do things in your own UNCONVENTIONAL way, reason in your own way, prioritise what you consider important, society will mock you, resent you and point fingers at you.
Funny enough those people who will mock you and offer free ‘advice’ on how you should live your life, have nothing to show for their ‘right priority’ lives. Yet they are the masters of mockery and judges of what is right and wrong.
I mean, why should success be measured by the car you drive or the house you live in? Why should I be judged by your expectation and perception of what YOU perceive success to be?
More importantly, why should I be judged by what you regard as a priority TO YOU? Why shouldn’t you simply respect what my priorities are? I wonder what happened to people minding their own business? By the way, in case you didn’t get the memo, even God’s word encourages us to mind our own business. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 says: “and to 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.“
Take a chill pill – It’s my life
Last month, I came across a tweet from a very successful businessman in Kenya. His tweet was basically a mockery of people who own cars in Nairobi and yet they live in rented houses. In his own words, he couldn’t fathom how skewed their priorities are. To be honest, I was among the thousands who were offended by that tweet.
For crying out loudly, who says we all have to own houses to be successful. If success to you is owning a house, well and good. But that’s your priority, not mine. Perhaps my priority is to invest in the stock market, buy a nice fancy car and live in a rented house. I mean, what’s wrong with that? It’s my life, it’s my choice. It’s crazy how young men have been pushed into depressing mortgages for the rest of their lives so as to live and conform to people’s expectations.
It’s amazing how young people are caught up in unnecessary debt so as to show off their perceived achievements and success.
So next time you are quick to judge someone with the lenses of your own preconceived priorities or expectations, remember this: we all have different priorities in life. What you consider important may not be very important to someone else.
It’s the uniqueness and diversity of our priorities that makes life interesting. Can you imagine for a second if everyone else in the world was exactly like you. Own the same stuff you own!
And for those who are constantly under pressure to conform to people’s expectations and priorities, I have this to say to you:
The day I stopped living for people’s opinions and approval is the day I started LIVING. You will never EVER meet people’s expectations. God created you AS YOU ARE to fulfill a purpose that is unique to you. Don’t bow to worldly pressure to be something you are not or OWN stuff you don’t need. Don’t allow your life to be defined by other people’s opinion or priorities.
If your priority is to build a six-storey house in the village, which you will only sleep in twice a year when you go for Christmas and Easter holiday – so be it. Good luck with that. If your priority is to buy a nice fuel guzzler and have a grass thatched house in the village – well, so be it.
Who am I to judge you or tell you what’s right or what’s not right. For crying out loud, lfe is short. We only live once. That’s the more reason why you need to stop living for other’s opinions and what they consider as important. Live your life, Chase your dreams.
