What do you have to give?

A story was once told of the age long dispute between the then divided East & West Germany, the larger populated East Germans were impoverished, bad economy, high jobless rate and crime and were under the ruler ship of a ruthless tyrant, their smaller West German neighbors were however prosperous and thriving and under democratic leadership. 

Both Germanys were divided at the center by a concrete wall known today as the Berlin Wall. One morning , the West Germans awoke to a rude shock, on their side of the wall, was a sorely gory sight. The East Germans had dumped a huge pile of decayed garbage composed waste which included household waste and feaces on the side of the West Germans wall. Along side this impromptu waste dump was a signpost that read West Germany: No better than this. The East Germans were obviously expecting retaliation by the West which they felt will further deepen the rift between both countries.

However, the next morning the East Germans received a shock of their own when they awoke to see a mass of neat piles of food supplements, provisions, beans, bread, cakes, milk, honey, cheese, soap and other provisions and essentials carefully stacked on their side of the wall. Alongside the surplus food was a signpost that read “Everyone gives what they have”. I bet you are chuckling to yourself at the folly of the East Germans, but if you look inwards you’ll find out you may not be much better than they were. I don’t ever think I recall my mother tell me of the glory days of her youth of a time when everyone was caring and forgiving compared to what we are today. It is a virtue that all generations still struggle with and by Gods grace and his spirit working in man, things will change. Right will be restored.

I remember in western movies, when you see a group of people struggling to escape from captivity or attempt to make a rescue, its is not usually about what strategy they use, but about what each individual in that team can offer to aid their purpose. What do you have? What do you have to offer? Most people’s attitude and character are foul and annoying to many, but the fact is, that is what they have to give. Its about what is inside, the East Germans gave a pile of garbage as what best they could offer; what represented them, the West Germans offered what showed them. 

People who insult, fight, kill, kidnap and do any conceivable thing are giving what they have inside, there’s nothing else to offer, so most times, I don’t blame them.

Ah! No! I’m not saying God deposits wickedness in people, No He doesn’t. He has given us all unique gifts that can make us thrive and bring good dividends, but the devil has deceived many into ignoring their gifts and facing reality as to why their gifts won’t be acceptable by society. So they invent attitudes and lifestyles they feel will be more suitable in the world they live in. But let’s ask ourselves, if under emergency, you are required to contribute your talent or gift to save the world, what will you offer? Your bad mouth?, your violent and fighting character? What do you have to give.

You don’t have to be perfect, no respected biblical hero was and for all of them, they were tested with what they had. God asked Moses that question; Elijah asked the widow the same thing. None was asked “Do you have what so-so and so has?” they were more direct and personal. I’m asking you what you have. Most young people shy away from responsibilities because they don’t know what they have, they rather copy what is the rave of the moment, and so they can feel among. Sometimes we are scared that what we have won’t be accepted by the public, or our gifts are funny or odd.

Even today, Macy Gray with the funny voice is now a Grammy award winner, the guy who on Patrick Doyle’s show on NTA was asked by viewers to be yanked off because they thought he was dry today will make away with over a million bucks to come to your event, today we call him our king of comedy (Alibaba for your information), a protégé of his would let you into his show with N10,000 as a VIP. Celebrity dwarfs Osita Iheme and Chinedu Ikedieze raise dust when they step outside (even though traditions in Nigeria still see dwarfs as taboos), these Twins will dance and sing and you praise them to high heavens and even get people fainting for them at shows(ultimately, thanks to Mary Slessor for that!)i.e. Messrs PSquare.

The list is endless, what of single stay-home mom who wrote books that raked in millions of pounds and made her even richer than the Queen? Or is it University dropouts like William Gates of Microsoft, Mark Zukerberg of Facebook, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google who rule the world today? What did they have to give? A Teenager who was so sexually abused by family and friends today is on of the Richest and Most Influential People in the World (Oprah Winfey), a little boy who only wore shoes for the first time at 17 and whose family was the poorest among the poor in his little village Ifewara now leads one of the Largest and widespread churches in the world (Enoch Adeboye), so what’s your excuse?

What do you have to give? What’s deposited in your life’s bank? It may not be much, but what is there? I was thinking recently (which I do too much nowadays), why don’t someone go and organize “Idols”, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”, “The Entrepreneur”, “Apprentice” at the cemetery, because there are a whole lot of people living under there who could do better; that is they had another shot at life. The fact is “Dead People Too Got Talent”! so stop smiling and think. What do you have to have to give?

If you are one of those dumb enough to think your talent bag is empty, then let me offer one thing you have and can give; at least while you are alive: You got some “alive” time on your hands, give it to doing something good and helpful to someone other than yourself. The great Prime Minister during his election and while on the verge of war said “All I have to offer is Blood, Sweat and Tears”, such a bold and brave statement! What do you have to give?

Search deep, you will find something deposited in your, your gift, special and unique. Don’t be ashamed it, don’t devalue it, be proud of it, promote it, it is your Super Power. Think about it, no comic super hero had a “normal” gift, when you discover what you have, only then will you become extraordinary.

Last question for you: What do you have to give?