Haba na Haba!

I recently came across a Swahili proverb that struck me deeply: “haba na haba, hujaza kibaba.” Translated, it means, “little by little, the pot gets filled.”

Jessica Jackley, the founder of Kiva, echoes this truth in her book Clay Water Brick. She writes, “it is easy to dismiss small, persistent changes. But over time, these tiny improvements add up, and can result in the most significant and meaningful progress” (p. 136).

As another school year begins, her words remind me again of the wisdom in that proverb: “haba na haba, hujaza kibaba”. Little by little, the pot gets filled. Isn’t that, at its core, what learning is all about? The daily haba gains—whether it’s a new skill learned in a week, growth in character over several years, or the maturity we ourselves experience over time—they accumulate. They matter.

Of course, in the moment, much of this growth can go unnoticed. Every now and then there are those bright “aha!” or “light bulb” moments that make us aware of a new insight. But so much of our learning and transformation happens quietly, in the ordinary, persistent rhythms that don’t always feel dramatic. Then one day, when we pause and look back, we see it: the pot is fuller than it once was, filled by countless small, faithful steps forward.

I tend to notice this in my own life because I’m a question-asker. Whether in conversation with friends, meeting new people, or even in small talk, I ask a lot of questions—so much so that a few times people nearby have laughed, “you sure do ask a lot of questions!” But for me, it comes from genuine curiosity. I desire to know people. I want them to feel seen and valued.

The question asking does not pass over my children either. At the beginning of each school year, I make an intentional effort to ask my daughters a series of questions aimed to help them see what it means to grow, learn, to embrace the notion of “haba na haba” over the course of time. It goes something like this:

Dad: “Does daddy know everything?”

Daughter: “Nope.”

Dad: “Does mommy know everything?”

Daughter: “No.”

Dad: “Does pastor Tim/Sandy know everything?”

Daughter: “No.”

Dad: “Does DocDoc/Lanny/Papa/Nana (grandparents) know everything?

Daughter: “No”.

Dad: Does the Pope know everything?”

Daughter: “No.”

Dad: “Does your teacher know everything?”

Daughter: “No.”

Dad: “Do you know everything?”

Daughter: “No.”

By that point, the answer has gotten rather obvious. No one they know has all the answers. None of us do. And that’s exactly how God designed it. He made us finite in knowledge and understanding, yet capable of growth. He made us to learn—about Him, about ourselves, about others—little by little. That’s why He gives us places like schools and churches. They are meant to be spaces of growth, of “haba na haba, hujaza kibaba”.

And while my daughters may not fully grasp it yet, I want them to see the beauty in not knowing everything. Only our Sovereign King is omniscient, and we are not even close. God has made us for Himself to know Him and enjoy Him, and this process occurs over time. It occurs as we travel on this side of Heaven; it occurs once we make it Home for the rest of eternity. We are still finite beings. God is still infinite is His wisdom and knowledge. He will forever cause the veil over our eyes to be pulled back more and more so that we can see Him more clearly; so that we can see ourselves more clearly; so that we can see others more clearly…so that we can know and see more like He sees and knows. “Haba na haba, hujaza kibaba.”

How can this be played out in your life?

Pray for patience! This does require patience. Not a patience of your own, but a patience graced by the Spirit (sanctification also seems to fit into the notion of “haba na haba, hujaza kibaba”). It requires patience with the Lord and His way of working out your steps; patience with yourself; and patience with others. Ask God by His Spirit to grace you with the fruit of patience. May God Almighty grant each of us the patience we need to make and see haba gains.

Memorize scripture systematically! Try committing a passage to memory over the course of a month. Even if you’ve memorized it quickly, keep sitting in it, reflecting on it with your household, praying through it together. Scripture meditation is one of the most faithful “haba na haba” practices. Little by little, the Lord will shape you more into the likeness of Christ.

If you are uncertain where or how to start, chalktalX exists to help you and your household draw nearer to the Lord, together. chalktalX Verse+Content sets aid folks in getting started and keeping it simple.

By His grace. For His glory.

Written by Warren M. Grimm