Chapter eight
TABLE OF CONTENT
Books have a table of content. Any person who picks the book to browse through takes a look at the table of content first. The content gives a brief of subtitles expected to be contained in the book. Every book reader knows what to expect from a book by looking at the table of content. Do you know? Your readers do not have to read every chapter to begin grasping the perfection of God in you. They do not need to know you on a personal level. Other person’s testimony about you is enough. Because your life is shining, it is radiating into the hearts of people you don’t even know. Once they pick you up, they know this is God’s product worth reading. They’d love to associate with you.
The table of contents is like testimonies from people who have associated with you. Consider this communication between two persons.
Boss: We need someone who is dedicated and trustworthy to fill in this post.
Mr. John: Alright Sir.
Mr. John will recommend someone to his Boss. He has been given the table of contents. The recommended must have the qualities or contents expected of the boss. The boss desires to read the full book. Your lifestyle is been studied by people you don’t even know. They share along to others a testimony of your goodness.
Paul the apostle knew the power of the table of contents. When he introduced and recommended Timothy a fellow servant and faithful son to the Philippians. The Philippian Church did not need anyone to tell them what Timothy had. Paul had given a perfect testimony concerning him. Your testimony is a major gateway to real-time achievement. If you have to be read, your table of content must speak to you. You do not need to speak, others will speak for you. Others will open the way for you. Of course, the purpose of your book is for others to read you. If others can’t read you then you certainly have no message.
A table of contents gives the title of every section of the book. A table of contents has titles that are in the book. The table of contents is not always out of place. The titles are always picked as the titles of each chapter and the pages in which they are contained is stated for the reader to locate them. Your life must not be a double standard life. The testimony of people should not be different from the real you. Many persons live double lives. They have different personalities that you can’t really tell which is which. Someone may be trying to project a good picture of you but the people may soon come to discover that’s not the real you. If a book contains a table of content that is different from the book content, you’d probably feel this is absurd. You’d think the author and publisher are unserious. So it is with you having a double standard life. It shows how unserious you are. Even the Bible is clear about this “… a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” You can’t be saying one thing and meaning another. It means you are losing sight of the audience upon which you are supposed to be communicating to.
Every table of content shows the order the book is written. Every book seems to have an order; Introduction, chapters, appendix, reference etc. You too must seek to live an ordered life. God is an orderly God. When creating man, he took his time to create everything he created in order. He assures that as many as shall trust in him, their steps shall be ordered. There has to be orderliness as you live your daily life. Your lifestyle should not be chequered. It should show forth the lifestyle of God’s righteousness. Your daily prayer should be “order my steps in the Lord Jesus”. For only God can grant you an ordered lifestyle. The moment a reader picks your book they want to see your perfection in orderliness. They recognize the message when it is passed across in an orderly well-understood manner. As your life is being read, your life must be in such a way as to show forth God’s order.