Say no to oppression

By Anne Anjao-Eboi

God always assures us that His plans are to give us a hope and a future and the devil can do nothing about this.

So with such assurance I always wonder what power the devil has to keep us down. None at all; unless we choose to believe his lies.

A friend who is a teacher recently shared with me her experience at her work place. Her principal is such an oppressive leader he never wants to see any teacher resting.

The school has no staff room and, therefore, every teacher is allocated a classroom so that whenever they are free; they can sit in a class while another lesson is going on.

If a teacher is relaxing and spots the principal coming, he or she pretends to be busy until the headteacher passes.

It does not end there. The principal has this annoying habit of peeping through the window when a class session is on.

He at times interrupts the lesson saying the teacher is lying!

When teachers have exam marking deadlines, the principal calls for a meeting that drags on into the night, knowing very well the teachers have deadlines to beat.

Much as it is an oppressive regime, the teachers have chosen to be enslaved.

I asked my friend why she was tolerating such treatment and her answer typified what many of us would say: “What can I do?”

Of course there is something she can do.

First, she can refuse such oppression that can cause untold pressure.

I asked her if this was the only school she could teach in.

“Well, they pay better than most schools and getting a better paying school is an uphill task,” she responded. I challenged her to get another job other than teaching.

 “Well, I have been a teacher for the last 20 years. This is all I can do,” she went on. I told her to go back to school to boost her chances of getting a better job.

Of course the fees are exorbitant, but there is the option of a loan, I said.

“Well, I have taken so many loans I can’t take any more,” she lamented.

Long story short, my friend is still teaching at the same old school under the oppressive principal.

These are the kind of people God does not entertain.

God’s word clearly states that He has given us the power to tread over the enemy, but we are still being oppressed.

He has promised to give us the desires of our hearts and if he is for us, who can be against us?

Do you have such an oppressive leadership? Put your foot down and free yourself from these shackles.