NAME OR FAME?? MASTER YOUR PRISON!

Happy weekend readers!! How are y'all doing this peaceful Saturday? We have a new President now? Hmm... How does that feel huh 😊😉?? Well, this weekend's edition is pretty interesting, so let's go!

In the Bible, there is a touching story of a teenage boy who was loved dearly by his father who made him a coat of many colors. He was envied because he was preferred, was even envied and hated the more because of a glimpse of his future.

Fast forward to his near death experience that eventually landed him in prison, far, far away from home. He also found favor and was preferred even in the prison.

The story of this young man, Joseph, helps me build a logic about life's purpose. We might sometimes wonder why we are not liked by most. In fact, the hatred and envy might come from people cordial with us, just like Joseph and his brothers, and you know that breaks the heart, but it's all for the prison process. Your purpose is more important than seeking to be accepted by all. You would have spent too much time pleasing people or seeking their approval before getting on track with purpose.

In life, there are character building or pruning processes, the prison before the Name. What we have nowadays are fame chasers with little or no character to sanction it. What we have in our generation is the manifestation of gifts with lesser virtues. Character building is as important as building a Name. Your Name is at stake, when your character fails.

"5-9 So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books."

The prison represents where all your character flaws should be dumped and refined. For Joseph, he learned how to keep quiet and listen. As a boy, he did not know how to discern who to share his dreams with. He learned how to depend totally on God to use his gifts. He understood God's purpose and mastered forgiveness for the folks who had let him down and betrayed him. Perhaps, you have been sharing your dreams with the wrong people, it is time to reshuffle and be discerning.

Most times, folks are too caught up in the prison process that they seldom see or know the point. They see it as punishment rather than a character development process. You have to embrace your prison time in order to be ready for glory. In fact, the greater the vision, the longer the process sometimes. The quicker you yield and understand the purpose, the better your prison time. The longer your process, the longer your reign in glory. The longer the process, the better the character. The better your character, the safer your good Name.

It is safe to say, there are some people reading right now, waiting for their get out of jail free card. I want to encourage you to embrace your prison process as much as you can. You know why? Because prison or not, God is with you all the way refining your character, building you to stand. Joseph was one of the men with great success in the Bible. He took time to learn what God was teaching him. Please do not cut corners and expect to have success. We have to remain humble and learn all the way. There are many people already failing at building a good Name.

You and I are writing stories in history with our Name or Fame. There are Names that when mentioned today, you immediately run up to ten lists of things they did or could have done better. There are also people who never wrote history, whose stories you will never hear about. Who never had a Name or Fame. I already know who I am and I hope you do friend. 

Major things to avoid during the process. These things will slow you down or prevent you from seeing the other side of the coin basically.

• Do not MURMUR (grumbling or complaining does not mix well with God) 
• Do not become IMPURE (flee from temptation. 
• Do not COMPARE (focus on your journey, it is your journey, not mine)

Live, Love, Laugh

Kaylove.