“I took the bold step, abandoned my family (my support system), turned a deaf ear to the belittling voices of neighbours and friends, refused to consider my disability as a constraint, and moved from my home town (a rural area), to a new community (an urban area), and started life on my own with nothing”… Tabitha
My mind drifted far apart in deep thought while I listened to the story of Tabitha, I saw in myself a low esteem, fearful and timid person. What baffled me most was the ability of this woman to take the challenge to leave and face life on her own with her physical and financial limitations, what she has achieved so far since she took such a bold decision and the number of people looking up to her and testifying a change in their lives because of her undying dedication to serve others.
This prompted me to ask and challenge myself to the question of greatness; who or what determines my greatness? Do I have the ability and resources in me to do great things? What does greatness entail? All the answers I could get from these questions were pointing right back at me. And then I remembered that I was created and designed with an innate ability to be great (2 Peter 1:3), I realized then that I had no excuse for not being great. if Tabitha who is not physically opportuned like me could discover the greatness in her and impact lives, what about me?
I accepted the challenge, changed my mindset about greatness and since then have been taking bold steps toward greatness and service to humanity by following the tips below culled from the story and life of Tabitha;
- Have an Active High Self Esteem
Believe in yourself more than every other person in the world; you are the only one who can be the best cheerleader of yourself, no one else. Do not listen to belittling and discouraging voices. We get these voices every day, maybe the voices begin right from our homes, to our work environment and to society, they are inevitable. The only way to let these voices not limit you (yes they are very limiting and anti-greatness oriented), is you believing in yourself like crazy. Tabitha was able to take the bold step in her disability and move out of her comfort zone because she believed in herself way beyond belittling and discouraging voices.
- Keep a Positive Mindset
Norman Vincent Pearle discovered one of the secrets behind one’s greatness; keeping a positive mindset in all situations, which he elaborated perfectly in his book titled ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’. It is impossible to have an active self-esteem with a negative mindset; a high esteem moves proportionately with a positive mindset. A great person remains positive in every situation, even in the worst situation, she rises up regardless of the number of times she falls, and she keeps on trying no matter the number of failures and rejections. This explains why celebrated heroes like Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson of NASA, Walt Disney, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Ellen Johnson of Liberia etc. are considered amongst the greatest people in our times (AD) who ever lived because they remained positive regardless of the negative and constraining environments in which they found themselves. What of biblical heroes like Abraham, David, Jacob, Esther, Paul etc who emerged great because of their positive mindsets? Keep whatever good thing you are doing, stay positive, and you will be great.
- Volunteer: Have a Heart Driven for Service to Others
Tabitha did not move from her comfort zone to a strange and challenging town to fold her arms and expect pity from others, rather she saw a need to be of service to people facing similar physical challenges like her; she chose to volunteer her very limited resources for the good of others. Today, what started from mustard seed effort of a determined heart driven by the desire to serve and help others has grown into a tree that is still spreading its branches. The success story of Tabitha is impacting and changing lives, many people who find themselves in the same condition like her now believe in themselves.
Your greatness does not necessarily entail the financial assets you own but how many lives you have reached out to. We were all created with a sole and great purpose of all times ‘Love’’; love for God and love for man (Mathew 22:37-40). A heart driven for service to others is a heart filled with love against this it will be impossible to volunteer or think of others, and consequently limited greatness. Nelson Mandela died a great man because he had a heart driven for service to others, he did not consider himself first, he chose to endure suffering for the good of his people. What about the Greatest Hero who ever existed on earth and who forever will be; Jesus Christ, our Lord and saviour, who demonstrated the act of sacrifice for others far more than any human being could or would ever do; He left His throne of Glory and authority just to save mankind who hurt him.
There is one realization we can get from all great people, be they the smallest of the great to the greatest of the great (Jesus), they have a common trait which is a heart driven for service to others guided by love.
- Put God First in Every Decision and Action
God is the author of all greatness, He is the creator of everything, the earth and everything in it were created by him and they all belong to Him (Psalm 24:1&2). The extent and quality of our greatness is determined by our acknowledgement and recognition of the author of greatness. King David recognized this fact about God and he emerged one of the greatest kings who ever existed in all times. All the enemies who rose against King David were defeated by him because he recognized the author of greatness.
We may have an active high esteem, a positive mindset, and a heart driven for service to others but if we do not acknowledge the authority and supremacy of God, our greatness will be meaningless or limited. God is the one who fuels our self-esteem, He is the one who gives us peace and keeps us positive in all circumstances, it is he who gives us a heart driven for service to others. And easy way to greatness therefore is putting God first in every decision and action.
“Without God I would not have achieved all what I have achieved today. God is the one who has sustained me and brought me this far”… Tabitha
Tabitha is the president of the Solidarity Association of Persons with Special Abilities, She is also the Divisional coordinator of Persons living with Disability in Donga-Mantung (a Sub-division in Cameroon) and she’s also the vice regional president for the Coordinating Unit of Associations of Persons with Disabilities in the North West Region of Cameroon.
In her volunteering activities, she has successfully facilitated the acquisition of wheel chairs, drugs and school fees of persons with special abilities, bed-ridden people, orphans and vulnerable children.