The Seeds of Greatness

There is at least a seed of greatness in everybody God created but everyone has to discover the unique abilities that he can use to change the world and influence his generation.

There is a popular claim that inside of every man is embedded between 500 to 700 talents and there is also an assumption that every man can multi-task, multi-function and diversify. Despite all these, there are poorer, unfulfilled, disappointed people in the world because most of us are not cultivating our natural abilities. We leave our seeds dormant. We covet other people’s gifts – and by so doing, we are easily distracted and quickly destroyed.

There is no small calling; every job is important. You can be a cleaner and still fulfil your destiny. You may be a joyous sit-at-home mom and live a purposeful life. You don’t have to be a frustrated medical doctor, pushed into a wrong profession by ill-advisers or selfish ambition. Do not drift away from your passion because of pressure and desires. Your life has no duplicate. You are so important and your work is also extremely significant; don’t let anybody downgrade you or degrade your profession.

In a typical hospital establishment, there are different types of doctors - surgeons, dentists, ophthalmologists and so on, and there are nurses, pharmacists, lab attendants, cleaners and security guards to mention but a few. There are workers that will be looked down upon by patrons and there are among the staff members, who will due to pressure, pride or arrogance, shout on their colleagues or address them derogatorily – but this should be noted; the surgeon won’t clean the hospital wards and halls. The nurses won’t sit at the desk, registering patients. The dentists will never double as the security guard. As every hospital staff is important, so also your work, no matter how insignificant it looks is valuable.

I have said this to more of my counselees; “Close your eyes and be faithful with yourself. What will you be doing if all jobs pay the same remuneration?” and I have been stunned by their responses.

If you don’t cultivate your ground and bury yourself deep into a venture; you might not excel in life. Everybody cannot be an engineer. Everybody cannot be a footballer. Everybody cannot be a graphic artist. Everybody cannot be a teacher and everybody cannot be you. Your heartbeat, fingerprints, gestures, voice, belief system, and styles are purely yours. Nobody can adequately replace you.  God made you so unique, and you alone can always be seen as an original individual of yourself. Are you playing that original or trying to be a clone?

To make a complete symphony; some of the musicians will play keyboards, others will play violins, some will play guitars, others will play drums. Why some people may have several works to do, there will be some in the crowd of musicians who will only play a note – and if he refuses to pull that string, the symphony is incomplete. Can you now imagine how your small efforts can complement God’s big plan?

You are put on earth for a reason. God wouldn’t waste His time and efforts creating a useless vessel. You are important! You may not be doing a big thing but you can do small things in a big way and your small efforts can yield a big difference.

Whenever I watch a soccer game; I marvel at all the key actors who are participating in a match. Not just the players; I look at the coaches, trainers, referees, assistant referees, the umpires, commentators, guards, spectators and several other technical crews who aren’t visible. What am I saying? If one of them is missing, something is missing. If you are not playing your role, you are distorting God’s plan.

Apostle Paul in the Bible admonishes his protégée, Timothy, “Let no one despise your youth ...” In essence, he was telling him not to allow anyone to put him down because of his age. He wanted him to act with all the gravity and decorum which befits his position as a church leader. I advise you also; do not let anybody put you down. If you do not limit yourself, nobody can limit you.

If you cut an orange into halves; you can count the seeds in it but if you plant a seed, only God can count the fruits that will come out of it. You cannot say how fruitful you can become until you’ve given yourself wholly to a venture and only God can say how far you can go if you will just take the first step. Move on ... if you cannot fly, run ... if you cannot run, walk ... and if you cannot walk, crawl ... just keep on moving until your good becomes better and your better becomes best.

Don’t forget; there are seeds of greatness for undaunted abilities lying undeveloped inside of you. There is an inner strength for unlimited expansion waiting to be tapped inside of you. There is this ability to make so much money, become extremely joyful, exhume infectious happiness, walk gallantly and become purposeful and fulfilled – but you have to cultivate your seeds.

Your seed, not mine and not of anyone else.

You might be thinking you don’t have a seed. No, that is wrong. You do have a seed; an undaunted ability for something – it is just that you are yet to discover it. Begin to ask yourself, “What is it about me that I do effortlessly?” Ask your friends and relatives, “What is so special about me?”

And when you discover it or if you have known it; don’t belittle it. Grasp it as an opportunity. Work it out as if without you the world won’t go forward.

If I should tell myself, ‘I don’t like my gift; it is like saying, “I don’t like using my legs to walk. I need another person’s legs to carry me everywhere I go. It is as impossible as driving your car with another vehicle’s fuel. It is almost impossible to make headway in life with another person’s gift or seed. Find yours! Work yours! Live your dream! Fulfil your God given assignment!

Every big thing you see out there, started small. It is better for you to start small and grow big than for you to start big and crumble. Cultivate the seeds of greatness in you. A giant oak was once a small acorn!