Bro, stop tapping into other men’s blessings
A man watches television.
“I tap into the anointing.” “I connect to the blessing.” “I tap into the grace.” These terms are common in Pentecostal circles. The terms are used by Christian believers who want a particular kind of power or status, which someone else, mostly a religious or business leader possesses. These leaders are mostly held in high regard, and are seen as the epitome of flourish and flair, which believers should aspire for.
Me? I lose my religion when I see grown men typing such comments in YouTube channels of successful people, or Christian religious leaders. They may be proclamations of faith, but, in and of itself, this currency is useless.
Picture this. A running tap, and my cup being filled with water; or, in this case, anointing. It means that the person I am tapping from has done the tough dirty backbreaking decades’-long job of digging trenches, laying down pipes, connecting them, sealing leaking joints ... the whole shebang. Because, being anointed means battling legions of demons; who are out to kill, steal and destroy your dreams. It means fighting battles against friends and foes. Anointing doesn’t come cheap. And to purport to tap it by merely making certain proclamations is an exercise in futility.
Casual labourer
After high school, I was a casual labourer in a timber factory in Nairobi’s Industrial Area. It was a multi-generational business, which was started by an Indian immigrant who came to Kenya in the early 1900s. He started small, from scratch, with a carpentry shop outside his house. His sons took over and continued building that foundation.
When I was a casual labourer, the third Indian generation was being introduced into the timber business. The son, who was in high school, would come to the factory during weekends and school holidays, to learn the ropes and earn his stars. He has since grown the business in leaps and bounds.
In their Indian temples, men did not tap into graces or anointing. They did not connect to the blessings of successful businessmen, who were and still are too numerous to count. The men knew that there was a place for worship and work.
And that, although these places intersected, they did not replace one another; nor would religion be used as a crutch. When new immigrants came from India, without knowing a single Swahili word or anything about timber, they did not tap into the anointing of the boss, nor connect to his grace. They worked, and learnt, then opened their own factories. And their circles of wealth and influence continued expanding.
I feel that our Christian faith – the twisted version of it – has turned some men into zombies. There are preachers who are also enabling the tapping and connecting type of believers. These profiteers make some flock believe that by, for instance, giving some offering, their doors will be opened or they will have a breakthrough.
And when lazy, misled, ignorant, greedy or desperate believers see the supposed anointing or grace on their man of God, they desire to tap into it.
Anointing is the function to function. We function at different capacities, as we are here to fulfil different destinies. Which means that each person needs a different function. If I tap into the anointing of, for instance, Dennis Oliech, whereas I was born to excel at cutting grass in a football pitch, Dennis’ anointing will kill me. To each, their own. To whomever much is given – be it pain or privilege – much is required.
Brothers, let’s stop this tapping nonsense and, like the patriarchs of old, dig our own wells. It’s only from our own wells that our offspring can quench their thirst and do commerce, for generations to come. You can’t bequeath your kids with borrowed anointing.
