This happened to me today...

Posted by Tomi O on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 with 6 comments
**Disclaimer: This is a very random post and I didn't even write in a book before typing out(Which is a BIG deal) because this happened this morning and I thought to share the lesson I learnt from it **

I saw my 4:30 alarm and did all my morning rituals. Didn't leave home till like 7am and at this time you have to queue to get a keke, once again I told my self "Don't be late" after standing for about 10mins, I entered into a keke.

I had N500 in my bag and I asked the other passenger for 'change', so the keke-driver won't talk my ear off about not having 'change'. I collected the money and then he gave me one beat-down-poverty-stricken-dirty N200 as balance.

politely I said "Oga, please change this money for me"

"Hold on" he said in a very rude tone. I could sense that he was looking for trouble.
Note that all the while he said "Hold on" we were in traffic. Then he goes "I nor get change o"
and i'm like "Okay bring the 500, the girl beside me will change it for me and I will give you your money"

He stubbornly declined and said I should wait till we get to the last bus stop. Wait, I did.

I reminded him about 2 mins away from the bus stop, very calmly I should add. This time the third passenger, a man, had started shouting at him that why couldn't he just give me the balance that the issue was simple if the man himself wasn't a trouble maker. (There is a lesson here somewhere)

I was getting angry myself, I held my peace. We got to the busstop, he went ahead to rain insults on the man and the other woman and I just wanted my balance.

He asked me to give him his money first and at this time I had given him an additional 300 - which included the dirty 200 he gave me.

When I saw that he was just looking for who to be angry with him, I took the 200 and left. Then I wrote on my bbm and facebook

"Lesson Learnt today: Just because you decided to follow Jesus doesn't mean everyone made the decision with you. Guard your heart, hold your peace, Tomilola"

I have learnt this before but today, it hit me well.
whether its the bus driver trying to agitate you and get you angry or its the 'friend' that hits on you while paying a courtesy visit or the 'Christian' friend that says the meanest things to you. Always remember to hold your peace.

Don't give anyone the power to control how you feel. Now, the driver will be away making his money and I can still choose to be here brooding and getting angry over what he did OR I can just choose to be happy and let go of whatever and know that there will always be people - most days- that will try to do things like these.

I have decided this year not to allow anybody rent a space in my head/heart/mind. Its time to hold my peace and guard my heart. I think you should too.

"Above all else, guardyour heart,for everything you do flows from it" Proverbs 4:23


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