By Olubunmi Adebayo
*Some people are very good at speaking to discourage others.*
*While the specialty of some is acting to frustrate people around them.*
*Listen Sir, listen Ma, if you allow anyone to speak around you to discourage or frustrate you, that is your own cup of tea, and your headache.*
*On the greatest day in the life of David, the day of the battle against Goliath, guess who spoke to discourage him?*
*His own senior brother – big brother Eliab.*
*Read the story in some details :*
*1 Samuel 17: [26] And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?*
*[27] And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.*
*[28] _And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle”._*
*Eliab spoke above to reprimand David : “why have you come down here? What is your business here?”*
*Eliab spoke to insult David: “I know the naughtiness of your heart.”*
*Eliab was physically angry against David.*
*If David had not been a man of discretion, conviction and purpose, he would have been chased out of his eternal appointment with destiny.*
*Look at the example of blind Bartimeus again. He was blind. He was helpless. He was destitute. But he refused to be discouraged by the discouragement of people around him.*
*They shouted him down, he just refused to be cowed down. In fact, the account says he shouted the more for the attention of Master Jesus Christ :*
*Mark 10: [47] And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.*
*[48] And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.*
*And what was the reward of his persistence in the face of discouragement?*
*Mark 10: [49] And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.*
*[50]And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.*
*[51]And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.*
*[52]And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.*
*Imagine if blind Bartimeus above had given up when people told him to shut up?*
*Imagine if David had retreated when Eliab spoke roughly to him and discouraged him?*
*Sir,Ma, your choice is in your hand to either persist and make progress or allow people to discourage and frustrate your journey of life.*
Top of the day to you 👍
©️ Olubunmi S Adebayo.
