Don’t concentrate on the Rahab in Rashida Black Beauty only, there are other insights her story brings to the students of life and success. I condemn her choice of words in her viral video and subsequent ones in no uncertain terms.
As believers, the only thing we can do for such a talented girl and the many Rashidas out there whose stardom have some accompanying faults or limitations as a results of broken homes, poor background, and bad company.
Oh God, we pray, bring genuine helpers in the form of good parenting and mentorship, financial support, righteous men and women who will lead many of those to greatnesss and above all touch the hearts of the Kushmen during this 31st Watch Nights across the Country. Let the stories of the Rashidas end up like the Rahab in the Bible.
Now, beyond her choice of words, what else? What’s my takeaways from Rashida’s story against Afia Pokuaa’s article that got me thinking. To summarize the Vim Lady’s article, what the Hell should society award Rashida Black Beauty and not the highly accomplished KNUST Medical student Dr. Fathia Karim?
I wish I could ask God this question, what the Hell did you make Rahab, the prostitute, an ancestor of the HOLY JESUS? But who am I, mere mortal to question the all-knowing God? I can only learn and draw inspiration from that decision of God. Here are my lessons:
1. Sometimes, God can overlook the Rahab (our prostitutions, sins, unpolished words, lies, drinking etc) in us and bring into His marvelous light. In the Bible, God chose the prostitute. Here in Ghana, voters awarded Rashida, whose words are unwelcomed to many. That’s life, deal with it.
2. Sometimes, society makes us Rahabs which overshadows our true gifting, talents, skills, confidence, virtue and the potential of becoming an ancestor to the Holy Jesus Christ, our savior. It takes the good men in the same society to help us find our light. I lived 20years of my life in Berekum, and I understand, firsthand, how lack of good parenting, poor background, lack of good mentorship and lack of access to quality education can make us Rahabs. Sometimes, the Rashidas do not have any option than to struggle the hard way, the try and error method to survive.
Some live on the mercies of the Kushmen. It takes the Grace of God and good mentors to help shape such talents on a misguided path. Against this background that, for the past 6years, my team and I remain committed to organizing Youth Empowerment Summit to mentor the youth from the place of my birth. Anyone can condemn, very few get involved to save the situation. Be part of the few. I admire excellence and I celebrate the highly accomplished KNUST Medical Student, Dr. Faith Karim. Let one of us create an Excellent Students Award program for the likes of Dr. Fathia Karim. Anyone to take it up? Create a Facebook page and write the seasonal Journalist, Afia Pokuaa to use her platform to celebrate and grant your honourees interview.
3. It is our talents and skills not necessarily our profession or certificates that usher us into extreme fame and success. For Rahab in the Bible, it was her gift of kindness, discernment; ability to identify God’s people, that risk taking spirit which brought her into the glorious lineage of Christ. For Rashida, in my opinion, it is her unique way of naturally expressing her inner feelings, anger, frustration that made her video viral. So let’s get this straight, Rashida was not awarded for the most profane video, she was awarded for the viral video of the year. What makes her video viral, I think it was her raw talent and how she expressed her frustrated emotions.
Ben Carson is not celebrated in the world just because he is a medical doctor, he is celebrated because he is a medical doctor who discovered his “Gifted Hands”. Obama became US president not necessarily he was a lawyer, there were many law professors from Harvard, it was his gift of eloquence that shot him to fame.
4. That Little Thing Can Make all the difference, Buffalos kill 7 people every year, lions kill 500 people every year, Hippos kill 800 people every year, Spiders kill 5000 in people every year, Scorpions kill 7000 people every year and Snakes kill 10000 people every year. Guess what? Mosquitoes kill 2.7 million people every year.
The little things can make a huge difference. Rahab did a small art of kindness and was rewarded while Ananias sold a whole acreage of land but for the smallest lie met his death. Rashida, 3 minutes viral video earned her an award. If she develops good manners, she will succeed.
5. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might and passion….. (Ecc. 9:10). The Rahab in the Bible was passionate about showing kindness to strangers. Could you imagine, she broke the top of her roof to hide the spies from evil men. That passion protected her family from destruction. There is a level of passion expressed by Rashida that made her video viral.
6. Rejection is not final. Your breakthrough can come after your biggest rejection. Jack Ma, Billionaire CEO of Alibaba was rejected 30 times for just a job. He finally decided to start something and that is Alibaba. I am sure, Rahab was rejected by her society and just maybe she needed company and perhaps that made her offered the spies accommodation. Rashida Black Beauty won an award from a viral video she made out of rejection. There is power in pain, only if you recognize it.
7. Positive confession in the moments of pain is the wheel to gain. Rahab in the troubling moments of hiding the men of God negotiated for the safety of her parents. Jesus said to his disciples, I will rise on the 3rd day, he rose. Samson said, God renew my strength so I may die with my enemies. God renewed his strength and by his confession died with his enemies. You are your confessions. Rashida promised, she shall be at the top. And that came to past.
8. You can be talented and gifted in life and still have some Rahab (sinful acts) or Malafaka things in you. To achieve enduring success and fame, deal with those bad traits as soon as possible.
9. Lastly, your gifts promote you but your character sustains you. Now is the time for Rashida Black Beauty to concentrate on proper character development, seek more knowledge and mentorship. Only through this, her enduring success is assured. If she doubts me, she should ask Mike Tyson. Mr. Awesome, you have a charge to keep for this innocent girl.
Schandorf Adu Bright is a leader, Business Development Consultant, change agent and columnist. Currently, he is the Director of Farmer Services at Farmerline Ltd, a technology and content provider company based in Ghana.
Schandorf is also the CEO of Golden Minds, a consortium that organizes Youth Entrepreneurship Summits, such as YES, aimed at building strong networks of young leaders, innovators, change makers, doers and entrepreneurs.
Prior to Farmerline Ltd and Golden Minds, Schandorf worked at the Bank of Africa- Ghana.
