N Answer : Wondered Why I Would Remember Help ?

 A few years have passed since I've left the business world behind. There were good times, but also challenging times when the cash flow wasn't flowing that well. I learned a lot about business. About suppliers who would've liked to help, but also about debtors you had to beg to get your money for services rendered.

What I liked most about the business world were the people. I could make a difference in many of their lives and many people made a huge impact in my life. So many. Some of them might have worked there for a month or a week only; others much longer than myself After all the years I still remember their names. As their names pop up in my mind, I can also see their faces. I enjoy these memories and seeing their smiles in my mind.

I wondered why I would remember each of them. And then I realised they were all such good employees. They did their work well. You could see that they enjoyed doing it. They always first finished their work before going home. They did more than what was expected of them.

I still remember Nimrod. A man of few words, but always with a smile on his face. He was punctual and at his post every morning. He did his work without complaint, and always on the lookout to see where he could help others.

One weekend when we had to work overtime, I took him home. I was surprised to see how far from work he stayed. I was even more surprised when he told me that he had to get up just after four to take a taxi to the station, get on another train somewhere, and then walk three kilometres to the factory. Tonight, he does the reverse and never gets home before eight. Nimrod was a simple man, but for me he is a super example of Paul's description of a good employee: 9Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters-no back talk, no petty thievery.

Even on the two wine farms where I worked there were many employees you could ask to come and help any time of the day or night, and they would be there. OK, you knew you would have to avoid some of them on a Monday morning.

The common factor: respect. We treated each other with respect. I honoured them for who they were and for the work they did. It didn't matter what training they had and how much education, if a person did his or her work right, I had respect for them.

But these blue-collar people taught me about doing that little bit extra. Many times, they volunteered to do things that weren't part of their job description. What a great pleasure it was to have these people as part of the workforce!

And that is what we as Cristian employees should do. We have to find places where we can do more, even if it is not always noticed. Then others will have respect for us and also notice something of God.

I don't like reading much, but for some reason I found Foeta Krige's book quite interesting. So much so, that waiting at the airport for the flight for our week-long tour to Namibia, I decided to buy myself a copy of SABC 8.

Wow, I was left gasping by the stories he tells. And yes, they are negative experiences. Biggest of these is probably the one about the man who hoisted himself up to the position of COO of the SABC. He rewarded himself with millions of Rand, fired those who didn't want to do what he said left and right, even changed the constitution to enforce unauthorised censorship. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. All of this without ever passing matric and lying about it on his application form.

This had far-reaching consequences and left bodies along the way. Only his bosses, whose pawn he was, thought he was the best thing since sliced bread.

I suspect he did not become so corrupt on his own. He was a pawn and his instructions came from the top. He simply followed where they led. He simply did and said what they did and said.

And "they" indeed strangled everything they stood for and believed in. How can you simply do the opposite and steal from your people, your country, and others, and kill the dreams that brought you together?

But let's leave it there. I don't think they will be able to provide any meaningful answers.

The major problem is that they were blinded. They took their eyes off freedom and equality for all and focused on their own gain. As a result, a whole country's economy collapsed and people were deprived of a lot.

When we aI was wandering around the Nampo Expo. I was speechless. I was so impressed by the huge tractors and all the things that man can manufacture. I'm mad about processes and saw machinery making Ghost pops from a handful of powder until the product, neatly packaged, pops into your hand. I looked at the beautiful cattle prancing around majestically in their pen. Two days are simply not enough to see and enjoy everything. But there was an old man with this messy stall that really touched me. He was a retired air force engineer. He made things that worked. One thing he made was a tester that you fitted to your car or trailer to test whether the lights and sockets were working.

My friend, who owns a trailer hire business, immediately bought one, because then they no longer had to get a car to check whether the lights were working.

But it didn't end there. The device came with a long power cable. So, he welded a special device to roll it up and keep it from getting tangled when stored.

But there's more! The device is fairly heavy. So, it's neatly packed in a wine box with rope wrapped around it. He realised that they would have to carry the box to their cars, so he cut a piece of pipe, threaded the rope through it and made a handle so that the rope won't hurt your hands.

This man did his work well. He thought it through. He went to a lot of trouble. He walked the extra mile. Good. Better. Best. I think he feels compelled to give his clients the best. I hope there will always be humans like him.

When Paul told Titus how the older women had to guide and help the younger women, he used the word "good": 5... be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives.

The young women had to be good housewives. They had to create a home that would draw the family closer together. A safe harbour. A space where everybody could be themselves, but can also learn how to live life. But even more, a place where they can learn about God, so that it will be easy for them to meet God later on. My mother was like that. My mother did her job well. No, she did it better than that. She did her best. In the same way we have to do what we do well. Whether it's bringing up children, or studying at school or university, we must do everything well. Where we work, we must do our work well so that others can see how it should be done. To do things as children of God usually means that we do it better than others, because we do the best we can. We give our all.

The word excellent comes to mind when I think of the man at the farmers' day. If we really want to do our work on earth well, it must show excellence. Yes, let people see Jesus in our works, because everything we do is better, best, excellent.

llow the truth to be violated, chances are everything will collapse.

We must learn from this. We must ensure that what we believe in is not lessened. Paul warns Titus: 1But as for you, speak up for the right living that goes along with true Christianity. And 7And here you yourself must be an example to them of good deeds of every kind.

That poor COO of the SABC did not get a good example from the top. What they learned from the governing party, what they fought and stood for, was infected with selfishness. They no longer asked, "What can I give?" but rather, "What can I take?" And their followers simply followed.

It always remains our responsibility to ensure that the leaders we follow convey the pure learning of our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We are responsible for the people in whose footsteps we follow. Ensure that they take the right steps. Help them to learn God's Word and take their words from there one by one, and help them to live those words purely in the world.