Putting Your Talent to Work

What sets one apart from the crowd is his talent. Simply put your talent is your uniqueness. It is what distinguishes individuals. I believe if you are not different, then you are not needed. Life is a just employer and your talent is the tool with which you work the works of life. Your talent is the weapon of your placement in life. That is why Proverbs 22: 29 says "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men" The starting point in the roadmap to success is the identification of your inert ability. It's what is inside a man that he displays on the outside. Everyman is at his best doing what he is designated for. Many youths are lost in this wilderness called life. Putting Your Talent to Work tries to make them know who they are, where they are and where they are going. In fact the book sets out to give them the sense of identity, helping them to rediscover themselves, where they are now and where they ought to be by virtue of their life purpose and goals. A child without knowledge of his life purpose and goals is like a boat on a high sea without rudder or compass. When pushed onto the water and the wind blows, all you see is the vast body of oceans and sky in every direction. Suddenly, you realize what big trouble you are in. This is true of the youth out there without a focus. When the youth goes out without an anchor to keep him firmly rooted and planted against the winds of life, he either gets blown away or depends on someone else. The word talent comes from the Greek word "talento" which means "equivalent to". So there is something inside of you that is equivalent to what people are looking for. All you have to do is discover it and trade it. Talent could be anything. It could be your voice, which you could use to your advantage in singing, preaching, talking. It could be manifest in dancing, sports, art works, writing, running, fighting e.t.c. Why bother developing your talent? No one can answer this question but you yet I can tell why I myself do it. I do it because this is the most exciting time to be alive. I would rather welcome change than dread it. This period we are in is a most exciting time, unprecedented in the world history. Generations from here, people will reflect back to this period and remark what an era it was. It was a death of the old and the birth of the new. It was an era of turmoil and opportunities. So if you develop your talent, you will be very much happy for it. If you don't this period of time will be a frightening one. It will be a time of watching people moving boldly forward while others cling to decaying life rungs. In the past, those who owned land owned the wealth. But today it is information. The person who owns information today owns the wealth. The good news is that information flies all around the world at the speed of light. If you lack the necessary information, don't expect to move far, because lack of knowledge impedes progress and destroys. The new wealth no longer domiciles in a particular location neither is it restricted by boundaries and borders. The changes that accompany the new wealth will be faster and more dramatic. The sticker in the quality laboratory at Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Makurdi where I did my mandatory Students’ Industrial Experience Scheme read “in times of change learners will inherit the organization and those who refuse to learn will find themselves well equipped for an organization which no longer exists”. No wonder the Bible admonished us to “study to show thyself approve unto God, a workman that needs not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). It takes the study of the truth of God’s deposit in you and me to break forth into your and my glory and abundance. What a fact! Today so many people remain in one spot, doing all motions and no movement simply because they refuse to change with time. They cling to old ideas their forefathers used believing things should remain the way they were. They hang on to that which is familiar – rightly or wrongly. They prefer to take the path of least resistance. “Things were not done that way and we don’t want to muddle the waters” they always say. They resist change and blame technology, economy, their boss or one witchcraft in the village for their woes. Old ideas are their biggest undoing, simply because they fail to realize that while that was the idea or way of doing things yesterday, yesterday is gone giving birth to another bright new day called today with its own ideas and ways of doing things which may not be in conformity with yesterday’s. I would so much want to be a part of this unprecedented evolution of humanity, the era where human beings work purely with their minds not with their bodies. Besides, it is where the action is. It is the new trend in the world. It’s hip. It’s scary. It’s funny. That is why I try to develop my talent, the most powerful asset I have by God’s grace. I want to be with people moving boldly forward and as I do so I want to see others come along. It makes the journey worth the while. There is no one that can do everything. I know of individuals who do not have the ability to form a good and logical argument. They know what they want to say but are not able to put it into appropriate words. If they stick with it and finally say what they mean, it takes a long time and demands much energy. Obviously they cannot make good lawyers. There are also individuals who have the ability to make you crack your ribs in laughter no matter your mood. They are humorous and keep you spellbound without realizing the passage of time. Obviously, these are good comedians. Some too can be observant to the minutest details. They observe and can read between the lines. They also combine carefulness, caution and notice what the ordinary eyes may fail to take note of. They are good scientists. While others have the power of oration combined with cunning. They have the power to influence even their contemporaries and dominate their immediate environment wherever they are. Without doubt, they are good politicians: outgoing, sociable, mix freely with people and can say yes when they mean no. The starting point of great achievement in life is your talent. You must discover that definite purpose for your life. Talent is an inner force without which lasting success and accomplishment may be impossible. It gives meaning to your life. It’s the force that lifts, promotes and crowns your effort with success as you discover it. It’s the doorway to your greatness.