At every school resumption, my children usually come home to tell me something new about their classes. The other day, when they resumed a new term, the younger one came home to tell me about a new student in their class. She seemed to have something to tell me daily about the newcomer. When I could no longer take it, I had to gently tell her; “Leave that new student alone. You were once a new student, too.” That conversation reminded me about life.
Friend, you were once a newcomer, too (1 Peter 2:9-10). Sometimes, the way we look at newcomers makes me wonder if we ever thought of where we were coming from. We posture as masters when we were only a few months or years in the game (Ephesians 2:8-13). Someone who has only been married for just a few years seems to have counsels for newly weds. You started ministry just five years ago. Now, you assume you are a mentor to those who are just starting.
Until you learn to manage your own journey with God with some level of caution, you would be a victim of pride and presumption (2 Corinthians 13:5, Philippians 2:12-13). Sometimes, God allows newcomers to achieve better results than old timers, just to humble the old timers. This is why you wonder why someone who just gave his life to Christ is already talking about divine communication when you seemed to have lost your way as far the things of the Spirit are concerned (2 Chronicles 18:23).
You might look at someone who just started a business or venture blazing the trail while you are already frustrated in the same business (Ecclesiastes 10:15, 1 Corinthians 15:10). You seemed to know too much of history that you have lost sight of the future. Like I told my daughter, leave the newcomers alone and focus on your own life and journey.
No matter how early or late you start out in life, you need to remain a learner (John 5:30). None of us will graduate from learning. The only expert is God. He is the perfection of beauty. We all are still improving one or way or the other. Decades of marriage do not equal marital bliss. In fact, if you don’t watch it, the reason you would struggle in marriage is the assumption that you have been in it for years. Sometimes, you need to learn from the newcomers.
Newcomers often come with new ideas, directions, and zeal. This was why Apostle Paul stood out in his day. According to his own very words, he was a newcomer, or better put, latecomer (1 Corinthians 15:8-10). But he came with so much revelation, zeal, and passion that he literally outran those who had gone ahead of him. Even when he counted years in ministry, he still maintained the attitude of a learner (Philippians 3:10-14). What about you? Are you a newcomer?
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria