Becoming the stature of the fullness of christ.............. What are you becoming? ( a review of Becoming by Michelle Obama)

To measure up to the stature of the fullness of Christ

That is my one life's mission. What have you become, what are you becoming, what will you become?

I guess I am more of a visual learner even though some of my tests put me on the Kinetic spectrum. So when I watch a movie I do not go to read the book.

I heard from the great Ibukun Awosika that she learns from other people's lives through their books and I started seeking out their movies. That is so not up my alley by hey, COVID19 brought with it a flair for learning new things.

The one I will talk about today is Becoming by Michelle Obama.

I had an ear full before seeing it and was meant to read the book but my colleague happened to that plan.

First I loved the visuals. I was well thought out and there is something about a person narrating their story from their point of view, it makes all the difference especially when you come with an image of them in your head. The style was personal and real and that I really loved it because a lot of people spend their whole lives trying to build a false image so this was so refreshing for me.

She knew all the right emotions to draw out of you. The movie was a journey through her life even when she sat on her dad's couch. Being a daddy's girl myself I saw myself in that place especially when this grown-up business seems like a lot to handle. 

She was the classic FLOTUS, basically she knew and understood that she had a broad spectrum of audiences and followers and she put a piece of all of those ideas into the writing.

 From the outsiders, religious, to the minorities, working-class families, gay and all other broad-spectrum she made sure that everyone was on that table. This reflected even the choice of music but I didn't quite get a strong sense of her own space in all this. e.g is she Christian or not, the emotions she communicated in the church scene was what I will feel in a Durban procession, watching and knowing it is important but without the sense of ownership of a native.

As a woman, the lesson is that you should always reinvent yourself.  You may have to sacrifice you for the family but know that you are making that sacrifice. Infuse yourself in that sacrifice by all means. But you have to stay true to yourself. Never stop dreaming.

One thing that stood out for me as well, was her staff. The fact that her staff was part of the story. People always are quick to tell you how they suffered and died. They sound like there was no human interaction that was beneficial to them. 

She would have told an excellent story without them but the intentionality of including them in her story was very heartwarming.  These were not people that gave her campaign money neither was she name dropping but the people had a job because she had a job that was very very fascinating for me.

I know critics will say it's only the ones that had nice things to say about her, to that I will say thanks nobody likes negative energy even you. 

As a Nigerian, I feel she was just checking your temperature whether she is popular enough to run, if her street credibility will take her to the white house. Even though from the level of warmth they received in office she would have just as easily happened on the election. But No, instead she's keeping herself in your face so that when she needs it, she can use the recognition. 

That was instructive for me because in Nigeria, we see good people spring up like perennial plants even 4 years when it is election season and they disappear because of the lack of depth and spread. Elections will forever be a numbers game. Yes, they can be rigged but they can also be won. If you have followership only in urban areas, you will be floored in the fringes, gerrymandering 101.

PS This is my personal opinion, this was what I heard when I saw the movie (No, that is not a mistake), you are entitled to yours. Please feel free to share what you think about it when you eventually get to see the movie, read the book, or both.

Ephesians 4:13 King James Bible

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ

Photo credit: google