I had written this post earlier with the intention of posting it soon but, somehow, I couldn't find it. Since this platform and I are yet to get comfortable in this marriage of ours,*Hahaha* I have no explanation for what happened to the post. I promise to learn all that is possible about blogging...fast! So, straight talk...
Everyone has a gift, but those who succeed with their gifts are those who believe that their gifts can make a difference and/or change the world.
Ever heard the Bible parable of the talents? The one where a master , before he traveled, gave his three servants talents. The first he gave five talents, the second he gave two, and the third he gave one. The first traded his own and made five more. The second did same and made two more. While the third buried his own. When the master returned, they all gave account of what they had done. The first and second were blessed for their work while the talent given to the third was taken from him and given to the first.
As I grew up, both at church and at school, during Christian Religious Knowledge classes, I heard, read, and learnt about the parable. But I never really understood the lesson/message until recent years when it all began to make much sense to me. Some days ago, I saw a picture of a man standing behind a tall fence. He had ladders on his side of the fence, but, rather than use one of the ladders to get to the other side of the fence, he piled all the ladders on the floor and stood on them. In that position, he still could not see what was on the other side of the fence. That picture reminded me of the Bible parable I recounted earlier.
Despite what the world or some negative people might have made you believe, we all have talents, gifts, resources, or whatever you might choose to call it. We all have it in us. The problem is that some people have not seen it in themselves, some have seen it but either they don't recognize it, or they have not explored it, and some people don't even know what we are talking about.
Personally, I was in the second group. I knew what talent meant, I knew somethings I was capable of doing, but I never explored them for certain reasons. At some point, during one of the periods where I reflected on what I had done with my life, I decided to do something with/about the things I saw that I was talented at. This blog is a product of that decision. Writing is a skill I have always had, and as my own greatest critic, I never thought that the things I wrote were good enough. And as I wrote in a previous post(Beginning), this platform is to help me be better at writing.
A talent or gift is a natural ability or skill, something you are good at just by being you. You might need a little practice for you to be great at it, but it is something you do effortlessly, with little or no errors. Your talent(s) compliments you. It is the 'tip' of your 'iceberg', the 'icing on the cake' of any individual.
Some people already know what their talents are while some don't. Like the man in that picture, a person who either has no knowledge of his talent or who knows his talent but has no knowledge of how to use it will, when faced with a situation, not know how to handle it. Or worse, not recognize opportunities that come his way. It is one thing to have a talent, and, like the third servant in the Bible parable, it is another thing to use it.
For some who are yet to realize what they possess as talent(s),including those who are yet to know all the different talents they possess, this exercise will be helpful. This was basically what I did. All you need is a pen and a notebook or jotter. Think of the things you are good at and can do effortlessly or with little help. Write them all down no matter how silly it looks or sounds to you or anyone. Consider each of them and put them on a priority list beginning with the ones you love doing and are great at, to the least lovable ones. Once this is done, pick those you can do effortlessly, prioritize them. Then ask yourself questions like, 'Do I see myself doing this all my life if I had all the time in the world? Do I need help getting better at this? What kind of help? Who do I contact and how do I contact the person? Can I dedicate the time to get better at this?'. Do this for each talent.
For those who know what their talents are and have either not explored them, or have 'abandoned' them, with your pen and paper in hand, ask yourself questions. Like, 'What are the talents I need to focus on? What talent(s) compliments me best? What talent(s) do I need help with? What kind of help do I need? Who do I contact and how do I contact the person? Why have I not explored it/why did I abandon it in the past?'.
This exercise will help put things in perspective for you. As we get closer to the new year, we need, not only to celebrate the life we have, but to prepare to live the life we have and hope to live to the fullest using the talents, gifts, and/or resources we have inside us. Have a great time finding 'you' and your talent(s). Good luck.
- The Lady
“For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath
not shall be taken away even that which he hath.”
Matthew 25:29
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