::::::Short Story: ATTITUDE :::::::::

( A long read, but a priceless one)

I flew in from Benin today and had to put a few things in place ahead of my trip tomorrow. A lot of banking things had to be done. So I kept shuttling back and forth the bank. Finally I was going to round off the day's work. It was 5pm, and this bank would close. However, those already in the bank should be taken care of. I went to a young lady to pay in some cash. On sighting me, she gave an attitude, "..please go down and pay in o", she said. I obliged quietly.
On getting down, the young man in the bulk room gave double the attitude I got upstairs ( frowns and sighs) . " why would the security men open the door naaa?", "it's 5 already"
Agreed you close at 5, but I'm here already, so why not attend to me???And the truth of the matter is, I'd been in the bank much before 5. And because they would toss me back and forth, I was there till 5.

Let me cut this short. Anyway, I made up my mind to teach him a lesson in love. I would bless him with 5,000naira and add a little word of advice to that. But he didn't know about my plans. So he started counting the money, frowning, grumbling and mumbling.
As if to confirm my intentions, a colleague of his came around to get something done. And as they discussed, I over head this "grumbler man" telling his colleague how their other colleague pocketed a 1,000naira some customer gave as tip to them. Meanwhile he has no idea a 5k is about to drop.
I filled the teller, and then realized he began to change his attitude. Looking a bit more cheerful and friendly. But hey! I was not impressed. Apparently, he recognized my name, and I guess he was trying to be nice because of Nathaniel Bassey.

Anyway, we finished the transaction, then I said to him, " I'm going to teach you an important life's lesson." I had caught his attention!!! Then I counted, 1, 2,3,4,5 thousand naira, and gave it to him. " That's your's" I said. Stunned and obviously ashamed, he looked speechless. Then I said to him, "you know, sometimes the difference between where you are and a breakthrough or success in life is something called ATTITUDE. Today it's just 5k. Tomorrow who knows, it could be something much much more.

POINTS TO NOTE
1.
Let's begin with the lady upstairs who just shoved me aside.
She missed out on a 5k gift which may have come in handy. And believe it or not, this is how people miss their miracles. Many pray for breakthroughs - marriages, finances, promotions, admissions etc. They bind, cast out, loose and tie, but nothing seems to happen. And sometimes, it's just the culprit of a nasty attitude that's the Red Sea between their promise land and themselves.

2.
What happened to the guy downstairs is what I call grace. And a lot of times, that's how God deals with us. He blesses us inspite of us. But it's never an endorsement or justification for bad behavior. He may have missed out on something, 5 times bigger than what he was complaining about to his colleague, and perhaps,the very reason for his nasty attitude.
But at the end of the day he learnt an important lesson of life in a most humbling way.
And not everyone in life has got that kind of chance or opportunity. Most don't get it.
Romans 2:4
"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

LESSONS
1. Put on a cheerful and friendly attitude always
2. Even under pressure, be kind and nice. Don't announce your troubles to the world. Everyone has got a measure of their's.
3. Respect and honour people, regardless of their social standing in the society. You never know who's on the other side of the counter of life.
4. Be patient. Sometimes, a little more patience helps puts things in proper perspective.
5. It may have been said time and time again, but it's a vital truth of life, that ATTITUDE, to a very large extent, determines ALTITUDE
I hope this helps someone.

This is a true life story. It happened today. Muse on this deeply, more so in the light of 2015, showing up in a few hours. Let's all make PROJECT-ATTITUDE a priority in 2015.
God bless you - Nathaniel Bassey