Little Man Syndrome

 There are people who are so little in their estimation of themselves that they pull strongly at other people who are of greater and higher standing than they are in life, so as to diminish them. They think they need to diminish these people in order for them to be greater than their station in life. They try to win people over to their side by speaking ill of others, especially those who they perceive to be more popular, more respected, or more beloved than they are.

 This "little man syndrome" describes a supposed personality trait of being overbearing or aggressive to compensate for a perceived inferiority complex. When you meet someone suffering from this syndrome, you will immediately notice certain behavioural tendencies. The chief among these is hypocrisy or playing to the gallery. In a social group, church, or fellowship, he or she wants people to address him or her by lofty titles, and he or she is gravely offended if anyone dares to talk to him or her without according him or her this title. He or she feels very offended. Most times, the title is not earned, and at other times, the title is all about age and not accomplishments. A small man will rant and rave about someone calling him or her by her first name without adding "respect" to it. "I am older than you, I am not your mate, I am not someone you can call by my first name, I have a higher standing than you in society, and you must accord this right to me by respecting me as such!" Inferiority complex wears many garbs; one must see it for what it is and strip it of all its attending pretenses. A small man surrounds himself or herself with those who make him the center of attention, and as a result, he continues to be the only towering light while those all around him or her continue to diminish in value or social standing. No one who is in his or her circle has the potential to rise above him or her in life. Greatness in others is a threat to the little man. 

I know a pastor who didn't have a car when he became a pastor. His assistant pastor, however, had a car. This pastor told his assistant pastor not to drive to church anymore because it makes him look somehow in the eyes of the congregation. I know another pastor who is surrounded by people in their thirties, mostly female; every opportunity for any of them to get married is killed by this person with his acidic nature and inferiority complex in the name of giving people marital counsel.

 Imagine killing other people's potential relationships and marriages, all because your circle will shrink if they get married. Ego so fragile, a dog could bark it into shrinking. People suffering from "small man" or "small woman" syndrome are always looking out for your mistakes so that they can capitalize on them to spread venomous rumours about you. They lack the creativity and the industriousness to start, create, or make anything by themselves. They depend on others to create something, they worm their way into the center of that person's creation, and then they begin to fight for relevance or push their way into relevance.
 They lead the whispers by positioning themselves as an authority, which they really are not, and making bold claims about their relationship with the powers that be. You will hear something like "I and the pastor were in a closed meeting all night", "The pastor tells me things that he normally wouldn't tell anybody", "I am the right-hand man of the founder", "I have the ears of the boss". Like Absalom, optics is what they live for, not substance. Give an inferiority complex the microphone and watch him puff himself up while tearing others down. He or she cannot help it. If you call him by his name, he would take offence, but he or she would gladly call you by your name and expect you to take it because it gives him or her a sense of importance.

 I was invited to a wedding anniversary once. The age difference between the husband and the wife is very similar to the age difference between I and my wife. At every turn, this man was calling my wife by her name. He did it until my wife got embarrassed, but I have always accorded this man's wife the full respect I should accord her because that is the right thing to do. This was quite funny to me because I do not have that kind of relationship with this person in any way why then did he do that over and over again? 

 In Game of Thrones, there was this character called "Little Finger". The man was trying hard to create an impression in the heart of the crowd that we shared a familiarity that we didn't have. Puffing himself up by building upon the profile of someone far greater than he could ever be. It was somewhere in the 48 Laws of Power, but that is not how the Holy Spirit raised us to behave in any way. That was exactly who came to mind whenever I remembered that day. The praise and adulation of people are important to little people. They pander to the crowd a lot, and when you want to put them in their place, all you have to do is take away their relevance. It is the one thing they fear the most.

A man or woman who is raised to lead and own does not fear leaving the present behind to start something unique and enduring.
Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees without a second thought, Jacob left Padam Haran without a second thought, Esau left his father's tent without a second thought, Samuel relinquished the leadership stool without a fight but you see the likes of King Saul, Queen Athaliah, Absalom, Rehoboam, Adonijah, they were little and can only puff themselves up in other people's creations because they lack the ability to create anything for themselves. 

Finally, inferiority is always loud-mouthed and lacking decorum. It battles to understand the liberality of the greater mind. Because it is lacking in originality, it always plays by established playbooks and finds solace in traditional patterns or cultural norms. This is why it is so small and unable to conform to the dynamism of the Holy Spirit in its bearings. So instead of ascending, it gathers human accolades. Instead of building others up, it tears others down to look good. Instead of minding its own business, it spreads rot and is surrounded by those who find spreading rot very comfortable. 

PS: If all you have to show for fulfilling your destiny in Christ are birthday parties, wedding anniversaries, family functions, and mundane celebrations, I find your life to be lacking in true inspirations from above.
Jesus said the life of a man is not to be considered as fulfilled by the abundance of "things" like this. The evidence of a true Christian life lies in the transformation of the realities of others. Miralces are good, but they are often just the tip of the iceberg. True impact is in the testimonies being lived by those who draw inspiration from your life. "How can you still be in one spot, having spent so long with me?" This was the question Jesus asked his disciples in John 14. If you are a leader and those who surround you are not shining brighter than you or almost brighter than you in every way, you are suffering from little man syndrome. It is even worse if they are celebrating you by throwing parties for you, left and right, like the pilot fish does for the shark. 

We are having the Meal of Renewal of Vision tonight. Tomorrow at Ireakari, we are having the Glory Experience Concert with Minister Nnenna, and on Sunday, we will be at Supernatural Life Assembly at Surulere for the Faith and Supernatural Conference.