THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLES OF MONEY

Principle Number 4

Turn your imagination lose Part 3

Pastor Maselo Mosomane

“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.” (Matthew 25:14-18)

These three men who were given talents in Matthew 25 used their imagination and they followed their mental pictures. The difference between the two groups is that the first saw an opportunity while the other saw a threat. The first and the second servant saw the entire world opening up for them while the third one saw a trap laid up for him by his cruel master. The two grabbed the opportunity with both hands and made 100 percent profit. The third servant was afraid and lazy to pay the prize and he dug a hole and buried his master’s money.

You see how cruel the devil is: he made this man work and dig a hole; unaware that he was working even harder than the two, but for no profit. How sad it is that many people are working so hard on things that will never reward their effort.

A man who is afraid to lose has to work twice as hard to protect what he already has. Have you realized how hard it is to protect than to produce? The hardest thing about it is that you are never sure what you are protecting is indeed protected. I don’t know, but I have a feeling that this servant had to dig and check for his master’s talent every day, for he was always tormented by thoughts that it would be stolen. No matter how hard he tried, the poor guy could not just rid himself of the fear that someone might have seen him and might go after him and dig his master’s talent and get away with it. The poor guy might have even changed holes several times.

Oh what a shame! When others were busy advancing their enterprises this poor man was busy digging holes in the name of safety. He dug and hid his master’s talent, dug and hid, dug and hid, dug and hid until his master returned. Who knows; he might have even tried to hide himself in one of those holes to avoid his master’s wrath?

Most of us unfortunately fit the description very well. Wouldn’t this be the right time for each one of us to check our enterprises? What are you busy doing? Are you making profit or digging holes? The third servant said; “I… hid thy talent in the earth” in contrast with what the first and the second servants who each said; “behold, I have gained.” Behold I have gained! I like it. Behold I have gained!

Two people may be retrenched. One may see an opportunity to set up a business and enjoy the fruit of his long years of hard labour. He takes his package payout and employs it. “It’s risky,” you may say. “Be careful! This is your last money.” But what is it that is not risky? Show me something under the sun that is immune of risk Everything is risky. Isn’t it risky to get into a restaurant and eat? Do you know how the food was prepared? Isn’t it risky to travel by airplane, by car or even by foot? Come on! That bush is not thick enough to hide behind. The point is not whether something is risky or not. The point is in the picture you see.

There is no plan under the sun that is water tide. Even the best plan can leak. If your boat has a leak and you are concerned it may sink, increase the speed and reach your destination before it sinks. Success in business is the ability to make more profit than loss. What determines success in business or personal life is control over your cash flow – what flows in must exceed what flows out. Both cash inflow and outflow are important for your business or life. Businesses don’t succeed because they are not making losses. If you are looking for a business without loss: I advise you to dig a hole and bury your money.

The other one wouldn’t see anything but doom and gloom. He might also try some business but he wouldn’t make any success because instead of seeing an opportunity, he sees a risk. He has already predicted his downfall. His mind is set and cannot be changed. He sees his business going down in history to add on a long list of businesses that failed within their first years of establishment. Why is it like that? The answer is in the picture he sees in his mind.

All three men used their imagination, but with different results. What makes the difference is the picture in their minds. When the picture is optimistic, the brain will send positive messages to every cell in your body and your body will be ready to take the challenge. But when the picture is pessimistic or blurred, the brain will do the same: send messages. This time: different messages. The brain will send negative messages to every cell in your body and shout a warning siren. DANGER! All the cells in your body will respond and get ready to keep away from the coming danger. Your body will then come with a corresponding action to AVOID the anticipated danger and you start digging holes.

Your imagination may set you free or keep you in bondage. The bible says: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” Proverbs 23: 7. Someone once said; you are not responsible for every bird that flies over your head but you are responsible for those that build their nests upon it. It depends on what you choose to think about. Thoughts will always compete for your attention but they don’t have any power until you allocate them some. They don’t amount to anything until you give them meaning. It depends on what meaning you attached to them. For instance: the word “danger” is not dangerous until your thoughts label it.

Thoughts are not your master; they are your servants. You are their master and should be in control. The choice is yours. You may choose thoughts that empower you and succeed or thoughts that disempower you and fail. Why would you choose thoughts that will hinder you? TURN YOUR IMAGINATION LOSE!