So many of us are used to the sound of a Gun, and once we hear that sound, we simply understand what it means and we quietly behave ourselves, because we don't want any trouble.
But how many of us actually care to listen in order to hear the sound of God's voice and obey it?
People often lack patience in life; they desire the answers to whatever they seek for right away. And if they can't find them, they suddenly resolve to pulling the trigger, by getting the quickest means, at the expense of... Do they really care? As long as they get what they want, it's alright with them.
Some just can't take the pressure the society is putting on them, seeing the fact that things are happening too fast in our present, changing world; sometimes, it seems like you are the only one not keeping up the pace, especially when you see how much so many young people - of your age group or even younger - have accomplished in life, before your very own eyes, and probably you think with what you've got inside and upstairs, you should be at least rubbing shoulders with them, meanwhile, you aren't in any way getting younger.
Sometimes, you might have tried several options, but you still can not understand if you are making progress or not. It's like you have been moving on a rotation. Now, even the methodology, movement and manifestation of God might seem to be kinda too slow to your liking and many people think the same about it, which is why they just don't have that time, waiting for the right time for the right thing.
But have you ever wondered why those of old lived way wealthier, longer and stronger than our generation? They'd got real patience. Majority of them who were successful, were willing to go extra mile (in a positive way) to get what they really wanted, even though it seemed not to be working at the initial. Abraham and Jacob are very good examples.
We would be looking at some verses, they're gonna be lengthy ones but please patiently go through them with me:
First, Abraham was promised a child at 75, in fact, he was promised a generation. And it took him 25 years of waiting for the promise.
Let's see Genesis 12:1, 2 & 4,
"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was (seventy and five years old) when he departed out of Haran."
You would agree with me that at 25, so many young people of our generation are already multi-millionaires, and perhaps, some would have had wives and children. Now, it took someone those years waiting for the fulfilment of a promise. How many people can do that in this generation of ours?
How about Jacob? In Genesis 29:20-28,
"And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. 29:21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 29:22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 29:23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 29:24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. 29:25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 29:26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. 29:28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also."
Fourteen good years altogether! Imagine you serving someone for about 14 years added to your current age, in order to be granted your request, the thought of it alone is enough to get one discouraged, right? The fact that he was given what he didn't request for after the first 7 years was enough to get him discouraged, and no one would blame him if he did. However, for the sake of the love he truly had for Rachel... Oh, goodness! Rachel must have being a beauty to behold. He patiently pressed on for another 7 years, and he got what he really wanted.
The point here is that if only young people and teenagers especially, would understand that patience is a virtue, and keep on with whatever good works they had found, without grumbling or grudging, even if it's giving them just little for the moment, don't you think the world would become a better place? Little is much when God is in it, and not when Gun is involved.
On the other hand, many rather choose gun: Gun, in it literal meaning and also Gun in a broader perspective.
GUN, however, could be used in a right way.
By the way, the title of this book, GOD OR GUN? It's a question, and you have to choose one, right? But understand that not every question requires a direct answer, especially questions concerning life. These questions are meant for us to study them critically and understand them, relating them to our life's circumstances. And also, understand that my objective of writing this book is not to condemn GUN in it's entirety, but for you to get the point that, though sometimes you've got to apply the gun like the soldiers do literally in war, or sometimes you've got to apply it technically, tactically and skeptically like in self defense, but don't lose sight of the fact that "the arm of flesh would always fail. Only God never fails."
In my next chapter, I will be expatiating on the below:
*G - Genocide, and Guard
*U - Unacceptabilty, and Uninterruptedness
*N - Notoriousness, and Neutralizer
You know, when it comes to banging and reverberating and whizzing of gunfire, people embrace it, 'cause it gives them speedy answers. That sounds true, right? The sound of a bullet, gets everybody down to their faces, it gets the attention of every person speedily.
Just for the record, God and Gun are set before you, I can't force you to choose either, am only going to suggest to you which to choose. And you've got to think really hard, 'cause any one you go for and continue with, putting your whole trust in, would eventually determine how your life would end. Yes, gun does give the answers people seek for to an extent (money, security, etc), but don't forget that God gives the same answers, and even more.
Also, understand that it's not about how 'fast' you get what you want. Nah... that's not it. It's about how 'flawless' you get them.