To everything, there is an appointed time in this world, in this life. That is how God has made things. And He has fixed all things so beautifully in their perfect times such that, any attempt by man, His own creature, to alter them in any way whatsoever will only turn around against man. This divine truth of course, is no respecter of persons at all. If any man learns to respect nature, and he does this very sincerely, he finds life sweet; he finds life pleasant.
This truth has a significant impact on age and growth. Man grows older, and never younger. Once he is born, life begins for him. And so unfortunately, he has no control on his own growth. He cannot hold himself down to prevent his aging. He cannot stop time. If man makes any mistakes whether knowingly or unknowingly, he cannot reverse it. And because of this sincere, ignored truth, man must be careful and cautious. How careful? How cautious?
Man must be careful with the life he lives with the time he has been given by God, and live a profitable life from his youthful days. That is his advantage! If he passes that important youthful stage, any mistakes he once made becomes footsteps on the seashore. They follow him into his future. If he made good choices, surely, the choices follow him. No one is special. No one is exempted. That is how God made the world!
What then, does this tell man? What does this tell the youths? We have the advantage! This advantage which many old men and dead men have lost, we still have it. O, how lovely this sounds! For most of them, there is no other chance for change of mind or change of choices. That man who carelessly contracted a deadly, incurable disease can never come and make any good use of this advantange you and I have today. He has missed it, and painfully, missed it forever.
Therefore, fellows, youths, dear ones, don't we think that this is the ripe time for better choices? Don't we think that this is the best time for taking due advantage of this precious time, and laying sure, firm foundations for our unknown future? Don't we think that we can avoid many mistakes today if we learn from the grave mistakes others have made, and regretted? Don't we think that those armed robbers, prostitutes, drug addicts, prisoners, failures, shattered marriages, collapsed businesses, and all those hardships hopeless men are enduring, are talking to us? Don't we think they are warning us to be cautious? Don't we think they are telling us that if we live our lives like them, our future will shatter like theirs? Yes, we think so!
If so, then, let us make good use of this precious advantage because, each day draws us more close to old age than we ever think. The older we grow, the younger our ages grow, and the faster we approach death. If we have not identified any talents yet, let us look down well inside ourselves; we will find them. After finding them, let us employ hard work, humility, honesty, and the fear of God. Let us do away with bad friends, and cleave to good ones. Let us obey our parents, and heed their bits and pieces of advice. Above all, let us not be envious of anyone. I mean that let us not love money. Let us not sell our destinies, fellows. Let us be content with the little we have, and work harder: we shall succeed.
For me, I have chosen to give my life for the edification and upliftment of the world. This is what I will do with my life. I look for the helpless and tell them that, whatever the situation is, there is sweet hope ahead...
ISAAC ESSOUN
