Why You Must Be Wise

 "WHY YOU MUST BE WISE"

An essay.

Enjoy.

So, this man, a Nigerian living in the USA guaranteeing to help my writing career explode brought his Nigerian girlfriend to me to write a website landing page for her business.

Initially, he'd criticized me so much about my writing style, and contested that I couldn't excel in my chosen career. He advised that I'd started breeding dogs for sales.

So, when he brought the lady, I thought of it that I should bill them moderately.

But I was surprised when this man from Texas, USA told me that I'm to do the work probono, since it's one of the criteria he'd use in accessing my writing excellence to ascertain if I'm worth helping or not.

Ah! Ìkúnlẹ̀ abiyamọ o!

I'm to do a real-time landing page for free?

Just because an atheist living in the USA is giving me a "lifeline"?

So I humbly told the man that: "I don't work that way. My works are out there. I could have given you a website landing page I developed for a client. I don't get examined on a real job for free. I don't live in my apartment for free."

He was shocked. He didn't expect it. In anger, he left the WhatsApp group he created. Leaving me and his girlfriend behind. Well, the lady is now my sweet baby. But it was after then that I know why this man had gone all out looking for someone who could work for her babe. The lady is so sweet. But I didn't do her work for free, at all. We both agreed on trade by barter. A mutual consent. 

Please concentrate. Don't allow your mind to wander afar. I will only tell you what I want you to know. 

But back to my story of the man, he then had a private chat with me. Telling me of how disappointed he is in me. And because of my act, I should never expect any help from him again. He screamed that the deal he was planning to give me in the nearest future is now canceled. 

I laughed so hard that I mistakenly slapped a soldier at a barrack!

My laughter landed me in trouble. 

Well, you should know that the man had nothing to offer. My online presence is even stronger than his.  He only wanted me to feel low, lose my self-confidence so that I can start massage his ego. 

BE WISE.

So, another man, a self-acclaimed Man of God commissioned me for a project.

He haggled my billing ridiculously, which I eventually accepted.

On my delivering the work, he found out his dissatisfaction with a portion of the project and instead paid 72% of the now agreed cost.

It choked me, but I didn't die.

Few weeks later, Pastor B came to me again to do some work for him.

The evil spirit in me hurriedly accepted the work without billing him.

I delivered before the deadline, and he was so happy that he started mentioning how God transformed his life because he served his superior Pastors. He now tours the world like an Eagle traveling to everywhere in the world without a visa!

In a nutshell, Pastor B didn't pay me a dime.

But I was not angry.

Just like Eve in the religious books, Satan deceived me. I didn't negotiate a price prior.

No pain, no loss!

We move.

Then the Lord was on my side this time around; Pastor B., came again.

He knocked on my door for an urgent, and free jobs to do.

But the spirit in me awakened me to tell him of my Billings. I did, and I also told him that I'll not be able to deliver on the day he wanted the work done.

Tule! I received my deliverance.

Man of God was confused, he was shocked, his mind could not contain it; neither was my action revealed to him prior by the Celestial.

He simply stated that he needed the work urgently, so he couldn't wait.

He didn't talk about my billing o.

So I was depressed! My forming busy will not allow me to make money to quickly marry my Persian girlfriend in Uzbekistan that I met on the Tinder app.

I wept.

I wept so much like a breast-milk-sucking addicted toddler who's been weaned.

I wept.

I wept till my tears began to taste like Garri water.

But I got a second chance.

Pastor B., came again!

This time, dropping a Voice Note of about 40 minutes for me.

He quoted more than 96, 000 verses from the Bible.

And with it, things that he now wanted me to do.

The work was much.

And as usual, they were urgently needed.

But I was ready to do it.

I was tired of drinking Garri without groundnut and fish head.

I repented. But unlike the repentant Boko Haram members, I didn't get any palliative.

Oh, I deviated! My bad. I'm like the Fluted Pumpkin leaves, I crawl about.

As I was saying before I lost my connection...

Pastor B., preached to me about the need to use one's intellectual property to serve the Lord. He highlighted the many gains involved in serving the Lord with the gift one has.

He told me of how God blessed two co-joined triplet that assisted him in the ministry, by, erm, by... Well, that's a lie. He didn't tell me that.

But, he actually told me of how God does bless those who serve him in the ministry o.

Brethren, in conclusion, let me not deceive you; Pastor B., specifically told me that he'll not pay for the works, but I'll receive divine blessings through him.

Gosh. I cried for nothing then. It's not worth it.

After listening to his needs, I penned my response for him.

I started;

"Dear Beloved Pastor B., of God.

How are you doing, and the ministry? If fine, doxology.

My main purpose aim of writing this letter to you is to respond to your Macedonian call.

I've thought of it. I'm proud to have known you. I want to commend your resilience by not giving up on the dream. I believe strongly that it'll be a huge success, soon.

I appreciate your wanting to work with me, it's an honor.

I reckon that 6 proposals are needed. And yes, they all can be ready on Monday evening.

Yours sincerely sir, I'm working with you, in a way that is different from how I'll work with secular producers.

For 6 proposal, I'll write at N50, 000: 00k, making 300, 000: 00k

For anything less than 5 letters, it'll go for N65, 000: 00k

This is a very fair price sir, even, it's not in tandem with my new year pricing plan.

I set out this year by getting an 80% upward payment as a commitment fee, but I'll accept 70% while I get the balance once I'm about to submit the last letter.

Thank you, sir, earnestly waiting for your kind response."

Well, I didn't have to wait too much to the point of losing weight. He responded promptly.

Having swallowed the humble pie, he wrote to me that he could not afford to pay for my services.

And there's joy in the heavenlies. I'm free now.

He didn't know that I lived all my life in the Missionary house. He didn't know how influential my late father, an Apostle was. So fervent that he died a broke man serving God. He didn't know that he is not in the best position to tell me how to serve God!

So brethren, be wise. Let nobody take advantage of you, in your work.

In conclusion, with this essay of mine, I think I have been able to confuse and not convince you that you must be wise.

Thank you.

Here I come to the end of my essay. May it be useful for the salvation of our work ethics.