Human life is divided into three stages, namely; Morning, Afternoon and Evening.
Childhood is the morning stage of human life. The life at this stage is very sweet and joyful, in the sense that they don’t need to suffer before they get what they need. The only thing they do is to open their mouth and cry, then mum, dad or whoever around will be at their mercy. This is a great privilege indeed. At this stage, they don’t have the reasoning power to think about their future, most of their decisions are made by parents. Little wonder, the bible admonishes parents to train up their children in the fear of the Lord. (Prov. 22:6, Prov. 19:18). The way they are brought up at this stage, goes a long way to determine how they live their lives in the next stage (afternoon).
Youthful age is the afternoon stage of one’s life. This is the most important stage of all, for what one does at this stage determines how he/she will spend the evening of his life. Though, we do not have control over the morning of our lives but we do have over the afternoon. The afternoon starts with the teenage age, when the individual thinks he/she is on top of the world. Some think they even know more than their parents at this stage and they are full of energy, looking for a slightest means to exercise it. I want to advise that it is not good for parents to start fighting them at this stage, rather, let them go on their knees on their behalf and still call them occasionally for advice. This is because, nature has made it so.
This is still not enough reason for youths to misbehave and disobey their parents, remember that tomorrow you will have your own children and whatsoever your parents are facing now will later confront you. So let us watch out how we relate to them (Eph. 6:1-3). The bible says in Eccl. 11:9 that a young man should rejoice in the days of his youth and do whatsoever that pleases him, but shouldn’t forget he will stand before God to account for his life. Let us have it at the back of our hearts that we have freedom to do what we want at this age but there is limit to what we can do as youth because, HE who stays above watches, even when parents are not there to caution us. (Eccl. 12:1).
Sad to see the school children that spend the school hours in cyber café doing irrelevant things, while some sit down in their classes, making jest of their teachers without paying attention to what he teaches. Remember, the day of reckoning is coming when Jamb and WAEC will judge. The way someone lays his bed at this stage determines how he will lie on it at the old age. If so much time is spent gallivanting and doing unnecessary things, it is going to recount at the last stage. This is not the stage to be lazy, sleeping when others are working or else you find yourself begging for bread at the last stage of your life. (Prov. 24: 33-34). Make most use of the opportunity you have in the afternoon stage of your life, so that you will have cause to smile in the “evening”.
Old age is the final and the evening stage of man’s life. This is when one sits and rests after all the years’ activities. Enjoyment per se starts at this stage. Children, grand children and great grand surround the table telling the old one stories. When one looks back and sees what he/she achieved in the past, it gladdens the heart. Make best use of this opportunity to win souls for Christ through your actions and words that come out of your mouth, as you prepare to meet your father ABOVE.
