In Proverbs 18:16 in the Bible, we have a popular quote, which goes thus: “A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”
For centuries, a lot of people have misinterpreted the “gift” referred to in the verse to mean “talent.” Some versions of the Bible change it to talent, but they are wrong. While it may have something to do with talent, it is less about it.
I have seen a lot of talented people suffer and never meet great men; I have seen them wallow in poverty without finding a way out. If that verse is about talents, then it is a wrong statement, judging by the billions of talented people who never become great.
Talent is one of the cheapest commodities on earth; the only commodity cheaper than talent is an opinion, so having it will not help you become anything more than ordinary, just as opinions don’t. Do not be deceived into believing that your talents will bring you success in your calling, it will not. What brings you success is your gift.
What is a gift?
The Yorubas, one of the most prominent tribes in Nigeria, have an adage that goes thus, “Eni tio Ba Da Omi Si Iwaju Lo ma Te Ile Tutu (it is only the person that pours water on the ground that walks on wet ground). The above proverb is similar to what was written in Proverbs 18:16 and indicates that the gift referred to in that verse is sacrifice, not talent.
No one succeeds in anything merely because they are talented; they do so because they make the necessary sacrifices required for success. Their talents may be the tools that they use, but what got them their successes are the gifts (sacrifices) that they gave.
Talents without gifts make no difference; a talented person must give gifts alongside his talents to make way for himself. The sacrifices to develop one’s talents and let people see them even when they are not interested in them bring success.
Sacrifices (paying the price for what one wants) are the gifts that make room for people and bring them before great men, not mere talents. Talents may only serve as the icing on the cake. That verse of the Bible only indicates that only those who paid the price demanded to succeed achieve success in their callings, not talented or skilled people.
In my job as a self-help specialist, I have seen a lot of people stuck in one spot because they refuse to give gifts to get what they want, faultily believing that their talents are going to make way for them. Talents are less important to achieving success.
I have met a lot of people whose love lives are in constant turmoil, but they are willing to pay any price to make it work. The women among them think that being beautiful is enough to get them marital bliss. I know they are headed for failure and they will only realize it when it appears too late for them to correct these mistakes.
However, life is not going to give anyone anything worth having unless they pay the price demanded. That is the gift, and everyone has it, but it is more important than talent because not everyone is willing to give it.
However, only those who give their gifts (pay the price demanded to get what they want) achieve what they want. For everything you want in life, you must give a gift to have it.
What do you want and what gift are you giving to get it?
Written by Soul’e Rhymez, a Lagos-based Love Life Coach & Public Speaker.
Click on the link below to talk to me if you have issues you would like to share with me as my job demands.
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