If you are to chair a meeting, how much time do you spare to prepare for it? Do you meditate on the agenda and anticipate any likely controversial issues? Do you visualise the participants sitting and contributing ideas? Do you even anticipate what points a particular person might raise?
Do you see yourself in control of the meeting as regards the direction of the debates and discussions? Have you set out the time for closing the meeting? For any successful meeting, the chairman must have planned and prepared himself physically, emotionally, and spiritually in order to direct the meeting effectively.
In September 2004, I travelled to New Orleans in the United States for the FIP Congress. As a result of the activities of the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Pharmanews held towards the end of August, I didn’t have enough time to prepare for that trip. My clothes were therefore sent to the dry cleaner during the week of my departure. Unfortunately, when I went to collect them on the evening of my departure, they were not ready.
I had no choice but to travel that night without the clothes I planned to wear for the week-long Congress and my holiday thereafter. I was unhappy that I would have to spend my limited dollars buying clothes I never planned for. But a miracle happened.
On arrival at the Logan International Airport in Boston, our son, who picked me up, excitedly told me that we were diverting to a shopping mall to buy some clothes because mom had phoned him that dad was arriving in Boston without clothes.
To the glory of God, I ended up acquiring some shirts and trousers and even a pair of shoes. The following day, I left for New Orleans in brand new clothes and shoes. My inadequate preparation could have cost me too much if I had flown directly to New Orleans for the Congress, but I thank God that it turned out to be a blessing. The Bible tells an interesting story of ten virgins at a wedding ceremony in Matthew, chapter 25.
Five wise virgins prepared well for the arrival of the bridegroom in the night by having adequate oil in their lamps. The other foolish five had lamps but not enough oil.
At midnight, the bridegroom arrived, but the foolish ones who had no oil in their lamps had to miss the ceremony because they went out to buy oil. Lack of preparation prevented them from being a part of the ceremony. Examine the lives of people who have succeeded in their endeavours, and you will not fail to see how they committed themselves to prepare for success.
It has been said that if you do not make plans and preparations, then you are planning to fail. Recall how many years Moses prepared himself before he could take up the responsibility of leading the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. Recall how many years Jacob had to prepare to marry Rebecah, who was destined to be his wife.
Preparation made all the difference. Even Jesus used nearly his whole lifetime to prepare for the ministry of only three and a half years. Some time ago, I attended a business seminar on retirement facilitated by Dr. Pascal Ebohimien, the then Deputy Director of Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC.
It was a very exciting and rewarding seminar that kept everybody thinking of retirement and old age. The question in everyone’s mind was how to prepare for retirement in order to enjoy a fruitful old age. Planning and preparation are the two key factors that were indispensable. Do you have a house of your own? What savings and investments are you making for the future? What provisions are you making for your children?
Can you be financially independent at the time you retire? These are mind-boggling questions for everyone. During the seminar, I was reflecting on the final retirement. Do you know that we may make adequate plans and preparations for retirement from jobs, but completely disregard preparing for the final retirement.
This is a very subtle but serious question. Where will you be when you retire finally? People may have an idea when they plan to retire from work because of age, but no one knows when the final retirement from life will be.
It could come accidentally when you least expect it. It might delay, but one thing is certain, it must surely come one day. Our life here on earth is a time to prepare for the life to come. Tragedies, trials, and temptation in this life help to prepare us for the next life. The fundamental step of preparation you can make while alive is to surrender your life to Jesus, if you have not already done so. Since nobody knows the time for the final retirement, the wisest thing to do is to be ready now.
