Divine Connections and Evil Connections

When I’m under stress, the best way I relax is through watching and listening to motivational speakers. Aside from the inspiring pep talks, it also gives one a different perspective about challenges. One of my favorite motivational speakers is actually a preacher, Joel Osteen. The reason why I like to listen to Joel Osteen is that he has all the elements of a modern motivational speaker without having to pay a cent. He gives analogies, positive affirmations and examples. But his greatest legacy I would say is in the belief that everything bad or good has a better purpose, reminiscent of Taoist philosophy and Steve Jobs commencement speech “connecting the dots”.

One of the recent you tube videos I watched from Joel Osteen is entitled, “Divine Connections”.  Joel Osteen explains that everything happens in God’s timing and if we keep our faith in God, we will encounter the right people in our lives and achieve our dreams. We know we are working God’s favor when it just happens; suddenly you meet a person who would lead you to your dream job,   a good business opportunity or   to your future spouse. The point is without much effort it happens. 

Joel Osteen explains that if everything is planned by God, there is no need to worry and be frustrated. There is no need to manipulate people or try winning people over to get that break, or to pressure marriage etc. When I watched this sermon of his ;  I was fascinated because when I look back  in my  life my achievements are actually a  series of “divine connections” and it just  happened unexpectedly. For example, when I entered MBA, I just made a phone call and got to talk to the right person who scheduled me   to take entrance exams two days later. I had no time to review or study, and I passed. When I got discovered for part time stage acting I was just walking down the street. I was able to get a job part time teaching because I was lucky to know someone who knew there is a job opening.  Never in my dreams did I plan to take my MBA, go stage acting or teach part time in the future. 

When I entered the family business I just wanted to practice corporate social responsibility since I was idealistic and fresh from the non-government sector. I didn’t expect many years later to take over. In fact , I was the last person on earth to take over the family business. My father was pretty skeptical a woman can handle the pressures of the company and I was unfortunately female, so I had to comfort myself that I will  just baby sit the company, until my dad steps down and invite my brothers to come back and lead the company. Unfortunately my dad has no plans of retiring and my brothers were already making names in their respective fields. By 2011, I was already contemplating in leaving the family business and look for better pastures when my dad had a stroke and died four months later. I had no choice but to take over.  One day after my father got cremated, I accepted an award in behalf of the company; which I consider a sign to continue running the company, until other challenges start popping out like daisies. But with every challenge I encounter I ask for a sign to continue. 

But as I expand my social circle, I encountered a number of people who would manipulate people to achieve what they wanted. They would force the situation to get things in their favor. They would deceive and manipulate a person’s feelings and interests to get a break, or get someone in a relationship.  They would take advantage of the weak or innocent.  These are the exact opposite of “divine connections” that Joel Osteen is talking about, because it is forced upon and at someone’s expense.  They do not recognize or acknowledge God’s hand in their lives and by choice not governed by it.  So when they meet people who achieved, they resent them or skeptical about it. They would try to bring down people who achieve or make a difference because their means of achievement is manipulative and deceptive in the first place. If there are “divine connections” I would classify this as “evil connections” because they destroy faith, trust, and love between people.

Young people should be taught proper ways of getting ahead. When young people are taught the concept of “divine connection”, they understand the concept of proper timing and respecting people as people not as means or tool. They would stop thinking that life is a competitive race for a  business opportunity, job opening or a life partner, and eliminate their win-lose and scarcity mentality . They would stop making choices out of fear and desperation since young people would understand everyone has their proper chances. Young people would develop meaningful relationships with everyone whether they need them or not, and in the end become better humans for society.