What are the most important things needed to live a good life?
Man is always in pursuit of happiness and pleasure. From the day man find himself existing on the earth, he has found himself being in pursuit of this or that and all is aimed at getting fulfillment to his soul.
Most often man imagines that he will be happy if he has large possessions of things like a lot money, cars, houses and the likes, and so he give himself to their search, he wake up very early, he puts on energy, he becomes ruthless, he works very hard, he steals where possible and when by chance he becomes rich and with great possessions, he starts feeling empty again. When man is in great possessions, he still feels emptiness in his soul, so he looks validation from other people by pursuing fame in order to be known. But still that does not satisfy. He thus seeks more pleasure, he seeks women or sexual pleasure, but after the indulgence, he still feels empty and lost. So he chases happiness in wine, he drinks himself silly trying to drown his sorrows, but when he becomes sober the tormenting ghosts of yesterday chases him. The evils he did in the exploits of getting successes comes back to haunt him. He recognizes that all that man does is vanity. Nothing that really matters. If you have a cool place to rest after your day’s work and have food on the table, you have everything you need in life. Am not saying that we should not work hard to accumulate wealth, it is important, but we should not attach happiness to material possessions. Many have lost their lives in an attempt to achieve more than necessary and get happiness that was not even in things they are chasing. But there are a few things my father told me and said that if we consider them, then we can have long happy life.
My son, if though wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with thee so that though incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding, do the following:
Being kind to others
Being kind to others will keep you from being cruel or insensitive to their needs and feelings. This avoids unnecessary conflicts and makes peoples souls to be at peace with you, and great becomes your peace.
Be simple
Don’t think great life is found in complex life like living in expensive places. Don’t spend a lot if you don’t earn a lot. Don’t strain to get things that needs you to deny yourself a lot in order to afford them. Don’t go for things that are not for people of your class if they are not fixed assests but and takes you long time to accumulate fund to have them.
Humility
proverbs 18:12-“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty and before honour is humility”
don’t seek to be important to people. Don’t struggle for admiration or respect. Never demand for respect or recognition. You can never get real attention by powerfully seeking it. Just be happy with who you are not what others think you are. Chasing constant validation from others only interferes with your peace.
Proverbs 12:9 “He that is despised and hath a servant, is better that he that honoureth himself and lacketh bread.”
Pursue God
Before the world was, God was there. Bible says God clothes himself with light as if it is a garment. When God was there, before creation of the universe, there was darkness, very thick darkness and very very cold temperatures and there was emptiness. The situations was gloomy but when God started speaking to the environment, life was created. Finding God will cause Him to start speaking life to your situations like your sicknesses, loneliness, your conflicts and whatever that makes your life look dark and cold.
Good relationships
proverbs 14:28-“In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.”
If you can have a single person you trust at all times and you can entrust them with your own life, you are blessed beyond measure. Good relationships with people is better than great possessions. Possessions may enrich your physical life but cannot nourish your souls. pursue good relationship with people around you and let not material things despise people in your life. Do whatever you can to maintain health relationship with people in your life like your wife, children and relatives. Do not forsake old friends or allow freshly desires and lust make you betray people that are in your lives. I have observed people especially in Africa killing their spouses in order to enjoy the wealthy they can have through inheritance alone. That is a great error because without people to show kindness, forgive and tolerant, life is boring. The people that annoys you are still important in your life, dont get lid of them when you have power, because when they are gone out of your life, you wont be as happy as you have imagines. Don’t be quick to drive away people from you, be long suffering like God your creator.
Being friendly
He that will have many friends, must show himself friendly. I know this can be seen as risky, but i believe we can stop being more friendly to strangers even if we are taking precautions from hijackers. It is better to have many friends that enemies. Be approachable and don’t have soo many social boundaries. Break your boundaries and associate with all people , just like children. Children are soo admirable to me, they just get along with anyone and don’t even consider the class of anyone when socializing, they are just happy and excited to pray with whoever that is around them. That is why we refer them as little angels, because of their pure heart. Until they are taught by adults, social stratification remains oblivious to them in their daily endeavors.
Being tolerant
Don’t be quick to take offence, ignore mistakes and allow other people to make errors.
proverbs 20:3- “It is an honour for a man to cease from strive: but every fool will be meddling”.
Being selfless
Don’t always seek only things of your own. Do not take bribe to avert justices and always consider the needs of others besides your own. Before you do anything against anyone, consider what effect it would have if you happen to be the subject of your intended action.