Africa
Everyone Needs A Believers -By Ekekere Samuel
Everybody needs someone to hold their hands; everyone needs someone to tell them “I believe in you”. What we actually lack are people who are willing to take up this task, not because they can’t, but because they are not willing. It’s not about how much resource you have at your disposal. It’s not about how much capacity you have gathered. It’s only about your willingness to take up this task. Every big thing that’s achievable starts from the will.

I had not even considered that this little eight year old boy would be best fit for the idea in my head. I had browsed my mind in search of that little chap who would personify the character that I wanted to portray in one of our school’s presentation at this year’s graduation party. This guy didn’t seem like the character. He had never done a presentation in school that I knew of, he wasn’t even among the best pupils in his class, but his teacher recommended him.
When I announced that I was looking for someone to play a role for me, he gladly offered himself. He had no idea his teacher had recommended him. His mates mocked at him as not having the qualities for the role. They told me he’d stop halfway. But I saw his verve and insisted he should do it even when others who felt more qualified showed up. I told him I believed he would not fail me. And he assured me he wouldn’t.
His teacher told me he was so happy that he took the presentation to her and told her how I had showed trust and believe in him and he wouldn’t disappoint. Then I wondered at how many dreams have been killed because there was no one to believe it. I wondered how many people had lost their sense of direction just because no one came along to hold their hands. I felt tranquil knowing that a little boy was feeling confident about himself because I offered to place my confidence on him.
Guess what? Just two days later, my guy had gone half way through the presentation confidently and with the muse that it demands. Then I wondered that I’d never have discovered another talent if I had not being confident enough to allow him see himself beyond how others saw him.
My job as a teacher is the job of a believer and I’m forced to believe in every child regardless of their upbringing or class status. I want the children to believe in themselves so I transfer the authority of my believe to them. Several children have been wowed while others feel they are being forced to wear big shoes. It’s okay anyway, we can’t all push at the same pace.
But I’m most concerned for the people who really need the push to find it when they do actually need it. I know how it hurts not to find people who’d trust your idea and choose to hang with you when the chips are down. I hate to say this, but the truth is and will always be that everyone one needs someone at some point in their lives to believe in them. We need someone to give us the push into our big break. There will always be that person who will see that raw talent t in us and offer their hands to draw us towards victory, but how to connect with them will always prove difficult.
Here’s where you come in. We are all in a big chain. This means that there is something you can do for someone else while waiting for someone to do for you. You are needed to offer your big or small hands, your big or small ideas, your plenty or little money to help some person believe in their own small or big dreams. Don’t think that you can’t do anything. This will be a big lie you’d be telling yourself.
While you hope someone will find your dream and fund it, pick someone else’s dream that you can fund and fund it. There will always be people whose dream is what you can afford; your little may just be the encouragement they need to get started at their own big dream. Who knows? That little you do can be the whole world that will break open their door of opportunity.
Everybody needs someone to hold their hands; everyone needs someone to tell them “I believe in you”. What we actually lack are people who are willing to take up this task, not because they can’t, but because they are not willing. It’s not about how much resource you have at your disposal. It’s not about how much capacity you have gathered. It’s only about your willingness to take up this task. Every big thing that’s achievable starts from the will.
Life is trusting on your decision to use what you have to help another man see what he has. Will you fail at this task or you will rise up to the challenge? It’s up to you to decide.
Ekekere Samuel is a teacher, writer and author of several books. He is the founder of Soaring Life Ministries, a ministry committed to helping people find purpose through life.